Blessing
by Fate's Servant
Summary: 'I pray that by some… miracle, I will be able to go back in time and fix… everything. God help me.' Ask and ye shall receive. Someone answers their prayers, and blesses them with an angel as well.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi! It's Fate here, and this is my third fanfic. It's an idea that I had that popped into my head one night. I will be working on this fanfic in my spare time, along with 'Different,' my other fanfic. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy 'Blessing.' **

**Summary: 'I pray that by some… miracle, I will be able to go back in time and fix… _everything_. God help me.' Ask and ye shall receive. Someone answers their prayers, and blesses them with an angel as well. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or 'Sakura Drops' by Utada Hikaru. **

XXX

_'Koi wo shite owari wo tsuge, _

_Chikau koto wa kore ga saigo no heartbreak, _

_Sakura sae kaze no naka de, _

_Yurete yagate hana wo sakasu yo.' _

**_-Utada Hikaru, 'Sakura Drops' _**

XXX

Sakura Haruno, one of the best medics in Konoha Village, was currently kneeling by her bedside in her dimly lit bedroom. Her bubblegum pink hair flowed freely down her shoulders, and her emerald eyes were closed. Her hands were clasped together, for she was saying her nightly prayer.

_'God… Please hear me. I thank you for all the good things in my life. My family, I love them so much. Naruto, my best friend who is like a brother to me. My job, because I love helping countless people every single day. But God… there is one person who I keep trying to help… But I can't reach him. He is so far away, and everything has gone so wrong.' _

_'I pray that by some… miracle, I will be able to go back in time and fix… **everything**. God help me. Give me one more chance. Give me one more chance to see him… speak to him… Give me one more chance to tell him… I love him.' _

_'Amen.' _

XXX

Naruto Uzumaki sighed as he put his head in his hands, sitting on the edge of his bed. His cerulean eyes couldn't see much in the room, since there was absolutely no light. He sat this way every night; alone in the dark, simply praying.

_'I don't know if you're real… but it's still something to do. Honestly, I don't know where everything went wrong. At the beginning, it was great, back in our Genin days. But then… **he **showed up. That's when it started, our path to destruction, you could call it. Then Sasuke left. It got worse.' _

_'Not too long after that, Sakura stopped smiling. I tried to make her laugh everyday, and it worked. But the more time passed, the less Sakura listened. The less she listened, the less she laughed.' _

_'Now she doesn't laugh at all.' _

_'Man… If only we could go back in time and just… **change**.' _

_'We could laugh again.' _

_'Amen.' _

XXX

Sasuke Uchiha lay half against a wall, bloody and panting. It had been a long day of training, and he was practically half dead.

Even so, he still kept his nightly ritual.

You'd think by then, Sasuke would've stopped believing in God a long time ago. It was a wonder he even prayed, if you could call it that. Yet for some reason, he believed there was a God, and for some reason, every night, he prayed.

For freedom.

_'I bet you're not even real. If you were, life wouldn't be this way. I wouldn't be in Hell right now. Itachi wouldn't exist.' _

_'I'd be back in Konoha… Probably happy. Maybe not.' _

_'I don't think so.' _

_'But even so… It would be better than this. I wouldn't be alone, as I always am now. I would have my friends. Naruto, Sakura, and even that perverted Kakashi. Sometimes I wonder if they've changed.' _

_'But It's most likely I'll never get to see them again. Even though I will never admit it aloud, I somewhat thought of them as my family… I guess. It's stupid of me, really. I don't have a family. But back then… it felt like I did.' _

_'Sometimes… I wonder what it would be like. To have stayed behind in Konoha when… when Sakura begged me to. But… it's pointless to dwell on the past. Nobody can change what's already happened. It's impossible.' _

_'Even so… Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to right every wrong. I bet that if I did… Never mind.' _

_'…Amen.' _

XXX

I saw all of this. I don't know why… but I was fascinated by their story. You see, I can see a lot of things. After all, I am Hikari. An angel. A Guardian Angel, if you will. And I've been protecting them all their life. Their fate was inevitable, as was everybody else's.

At least… it was supposed to be.

I couldn't stand it! I saw each of them, every night, doing the same thing.

Asking for a miracle.

Then, the pink haired one would weep. The blonde young man would silently let a few tears run down his face. And the raven haired one would simply bury his head in his hands. Only once have I seen his eyes fill with tears. But they were never shed.

When they're asleep, I visit them. I give them all a little something to increase their hope. I give the pink haired one dreams of being reunited with her love. I give the blonde man dreams of seeing his best friend return, and being able to see his pink haired friend laugh once more. And I give the raven haired man dreams of freedom, where his goals have been accomplished, and he is actually happy.

When they wake up, they always have more strength and will to continue on than before.

But this time… it may not be enough. They aren't asking for dreams, or hope… They're asking for a second chance. And so… I will give it to them.

I always wondered about how their lives would be if their fate had been set differently. And sometimes… I can almost hear their laughter. But… I _want _to hear it.

So now, as I gently give them the dreams that are their sanctuary… I also give them their miracle.

Tomorrow, when they wake up, they will be years in the past; at the beginning. I will make it my duty to help them change the horrid fate that was written for them. They will not recall ever having a life as horrible as the one they are in now.

I will assume the form of a girl, so that I may pass for one of them. And I will stay with them every step of the way, rewriting their destiny.

So now, Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha… sleep. Come tomorrow…

You will have your miracle.

XXX

**Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of, 'Blessing.' In case you didn't get the last part, it is in the point of view of an angel named Hikari. She has been watching over Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura for a long time, and she hears their prayers. In the next chapter, she will give them the miracle they've been hoping for. **

**Preview: **

**"Don't worry, you guys!" Hikari exclaimed, grinning widely. "I swear I'll do anything for my team! That's what friends are for, eh?" **

**The three other people standing beside her had expressions of mixed shock and confusion. **

**_'…Friends?' _**


	2. At The Beginning

**Author's Note: Hi! I hope the characters didn't seem all that OOC in the last chapter, and I'm sorry the last one was so short. Trust me; this one will be _much _longer. :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'Ordinary Day' by Vanessa Carlton. **

XXX

_He said take my hand _

_Live while you can, _

_Don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand? _

_**-Vanessa Carlton, 'Ordinary Day' **_

XXX

In Konoha Village, a young girl no older than twelve walked into a large room full of kids. They stared at her curiously as she passed them, some whispering to others about her strange appearance.

_'If they think this is strange, it's a good thing they can't see my eyes.'_ the girl thought. Indeed, the others in the room couldn't see her eyes, because they were shielded from view by a Konoha ninja forehead protector. And even if that wasn't in the way, the girl's raven bangs would still have effectively covered her eyes.

Easily moving around the room without crashing into anything or anyone, the girl sat down in a seat above three people. Leaning back, she heard a man at the front of the room calling out names one after another. _'This must be the first day, and if what I did worked…' _

"Squad Seven," the man in the front of the room called out. "Since there is an uneven number of people in this room, you will be the only four man squad. Naruto Uzumaki."

The girl heard one boy in front of her let out a confused grunt.

"Sakura Haruno."

She heard a girl in front of her let out a dismayed sigh.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

She heard the same girl let out a cheer.

"And… Hikari."

The girl wearing the forehead protector over her eyes smiled. _'I did it. I gave them their miracle.' _

XXX

"Sasuke! Where are you?" a twelve year old Sakura Haruno called out, running out of the ninja academy. "Why did he go running off like that? I figured since we're on the same team and all, we could have lunch together and get to know each other."

"Maybe he likes his solitude, Sakura."

Sakura started and whirled around to see who had spoken. There was a girl standing there, about one or two inches taller than Sakura. She had wavy, raven hair that just reached past her shoulders. She wore a plain black sleeveless shirt and off-white shorts with a skirt with slits on the sides. She also wore the traditional ninja shoes and Konoha ninja forehead protector. Over her eyes.

"Um, Hikari… you startled me there for a second."

Hikari, the angel in disguise, shrugged. "Sorry Sakura, didn't mean to." She cocked her head to the side questioningly. "Something wrong?"

Sakura stepped back, a little nervous. "No! Why?"

"Well, you just stepped back. Plus, you look a little scared."

Sakura gasped. _'But… how can she see my face? Her eyes are covered!' _

Hikari laughed, and for a second, Sakura thought that her laugh sounded like a little charming bell. "No need to be so shocked! If you want, I can show you my eyes."

Sakura looked at Hikari, contemplating her words. _'I have to admit, I'm sort of curious as to what her eyes look like. I haven't seen them… Come to think of it, I haven't even noticed Hikari at all until today.' _

"Uh… If you want." Sakura said hesitantly.

Hikari smiled and gently pushed up the forehead protector. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and Sakura let out a tiny shocked gasp. Her eyes weren't brown, blue, or green… they were gold!

Hikari grinned. "One of my more stunning features, I might add!"

Sakura was just about to laugh slightly until she heard a voice call out to her.

"SAKURA!!!" Naruto was waving and walking up to the two girls, though only focusing on one.

"Hey Sakura, let's eat together since we're in the same group now." Naruto offered.

_'He seems so nice now… He's all cheerful.' _Hikari noted. Indeed, this younger Naruto was very different from the one whose prayers she heard every night. _'No wonder he wanted a second chance.' _

"Why do I have to eat with you?" Sakura snapped, startling Hikari.

"But, but we're in the same group now, so…" Naruto gently protested.

"You're annoying."

Naruto and Hikari just stared at her as she walked away, resuming her search for Sasuke.

"Uh, you know Naruto, if you want, I'll eat lunch with you." Hikari offered, smiling at the crestfallen boy.

"Nah, that's alright. I'll see you later!" Naruto called, a grin on his face as he jumped away.

Hikari smirked. _'Yeah, right. I know what you're up to Naruto…' _

XXX

(A/N: Now, the story will be in Hikari's point of view.)

I jumped over the rooftops, keeping a close eye on Naruto. I watched him stop on one and sit on a large metal thing. His grin had disappeared and he was now looking down sadly. I felt sorry for him, so I was just going to go over there and talk. But then I saw him sit up straighter and focus on something inside one of the houses before him. I squinted to see what he was looking at and then I gasped a little.

_'What's he going to do to him…?' _

I watched Naruto slowly sidle along the wall and under a window. I jumped high into the air and tried to get to Naruto before he did something bad, but I got there a little too late.

Naruto had jumped inside the window and tackled Sasuke, kicking the window shut in the process. I heard shouts coming from inside, and the next house over. I tried to pry the window open, but it was no use.

"Hey you, just what do you think you're doing?!" I heard a girl call. I turned around and saw a blonde girl with a ponytail standing on a balcony, glaring at me like there was no tomorrow.

Placing my hands on my hips, I glared back. "Trying to stop the two of them from getting each other killed!" I called, jerking my thumb toward the shut window behind me.

Just then, the window suddenly opened, and I slipped and toppled off the wall, but not before I gripped the ledge tightly. When I stretched my neck, I saw Sasuke step out onto the ledge and smirk before jumping off in another direction.

Swinging myself back and forth, I managed to get back up on the ledge alright. I walked up to the now open window and peered inside.

I started laughing.

"I don't believe it," I chuckled, hopping inside and kneeling beside the figure on the floor. "Naruto pulled a fast one on you, eh Sasuke?"

He glared at me coldly as I undid the tightly knotted ropes and pulled the tape from his mouth. "Shadow Replication Technique, am I right?"

Sasuke sat up and narrowed his onyx eyes at my golden ones. Then he scoffed and stood up, as did I.

"Don't let him get to you," I said, positioning myself to jump back out of the window. "Naruto is only jealous of you because Sakura likes you better than him."

XXX

_'Okay, I've got to find Naruto before he does something stupid…' _I thought, running as fast as I could to where I saw him heading. When I stopped, though, the only person I saw was Sakura sitting on a bench looking quite happy.

"Hey, Sakura!" I called, waving to her. Maybe I could get her somewhere where Naruto couldn't do anything that would end in bad results.

But Sakura wasn't paying attention to me. She had gotten up and started waving to someone behind me. "Sasuke!" she called.

_'Uh oh.' _I thought, swiftly jumping up and hiding in a tree's branches. Carefully angling myself so I could see past the leaves, I watched Sakura stop Sasuke and begin to talk with him.

_'Wait a minute… That's the real Sasuke. I'm sure of it.' _

I may not have been able to hear what they were saying, but Sakura definitely said the wrong words. I watched Sasuke glare back at her with an expression that was purely venomous. I saw her step back, and then I heard Sasuke say the exact same words Sakura had said earlier to Naruto.

"You're annoying."

As Sasuke walked away from Sakura, who looked like she was going to cry at any moment now, I jumped down from my position in the tree and landed behind her. She looked at me and sat down on the bench once more, bowing her head so I couldn't see her face.

"I'm… annoying, huh? Now I know how Naruto must have felt. Maybe I can be a little nicer starting now." I heard her say.

I smiled at her kindly and nodded, taking a seat beside her and placing an arm around her. "That sounds like a great idea, Sakura!" I said in a reassuring voice. She looked up and smiled lightly at me.

"Thanks, Hikari."

XXX

(A/N: Normal point of view.)

"He's late!" Naruto whined, looking out the door of the classroom and into the hallway. Squad Seven was supposed to be meeting the Jounin that would lead them, but he was very late.

Sasuke was sitting at a desk, his hands folded, looking bored. Sakura was leaning on a desk, looking a bit nervous, and Hikari was standing on a desk, just looking around.

"Naruto, why don't you sit still?" Sakura asked, a bit annoyed.

"But why is the teacher for our seventh group the only one late?" Naruto whined again. "All the other groups went somewhere with their new teachers, and Iruka already went home!"

Hikari tried her best not to chuckle, but failed.

"That's not very important." Sakura protested. When there was a loud racket by the door, Sakura looked up and exclaimed, "Hey, what are you doing Naruto?"

Sasuke and Hikari looked over by the doorway, and Hikari placed a hand over her mouth and giggled.

"It's his fault for being late." Naruto said, supposedly justifying the fact that he had placed a chalk eraser in the door.

Sakura looked at him disapprovingly and muttered, "Geez, it's your own fault if you get in trouble."

"Aw, Sakura, lighten up! You know you want to laugh." Hikari teased. Sakura looked at her, a faint tinge of red appearing on her cheeks. When she saw Hikari grinning, Sakura couldn't resist cracking a smile too.

Sasuke scoffed at their antics and muttered, "A Jounin isn't going to fall for a plain old booby trap like that."

Sakura covered up her smile and said, "Yeah, Naruto! You're so stupid!" Hikari rolled her eyes.

Just then, a hand appeared in the doorway and pushed it open. The chalk eraser plopped down onto a head of grey hair.

Everybody was silent for a moment before Naruto burst out laughing. "He fell for it! He fell for it!"

Sakura blushed a dark red and exclaimed, "I'm sorry, Sensei, I tried to stop him, but Naruto didn't listen to me…"

Sasuke leaned his head on his hands and thought, _'For real? Is he really a Jounin?' _

The four children watched as their sensei picked up the eraser and looked at it. "How should I say this…" he began, placing a hand on his chin, which was covered by a navy blue mask. "My first impressions of you guys are… I hate you."

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto's expressions became a cross between disappointed and angry.

Hikari laughed.

XXX

"Let's see, why don't you introduce yourselves." the Jounin said. He had taken the squad outside and onto a rooftop.

"Introduce ourselves? What should we say?" Sakura asked, currently seated in between Hikari and Sasuke.

The silver haired Jounin shrugged, bringing his arms out to his sides. "What you like, hate, your dreams, and hobbies. Something like that." he finished, crossing his arms.

"Hey, hey. Why don't you introduce yourself first, Sensei." Naruto suggested.

"Me? I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you my likes and dislikes." Naruto and Sakura looked a little shocked at this. "As for my dream…" He looked up. "I have a few hobbies."

"So all we found out was his name." Sakura grumbled, disappointed.

"Now it's your turn." Kakashi insisted. "You first."

Naruto grinned. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like cup ramen." Hikari giggled. "But I like the ramen at Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei bought for me even more. I hate the three minutes that I have to wait after I put in the hot water. My hobby is to eat and compare cup ramens! And my dream is to become greater than the Hokages. I'm going to make all the villagers recognize my existence."

Kakashi's only visible eye narrowed slightly. _'I see. He grew up in an interesting way.' _

"Okay, next." Kakashi announced.

Sakura grinned and said cheerfully, "I'm Haruno Sakura! I like… well, the person I like is…" Sakura glanced at Sasuke hopefully, but he didn't even acknowledge her. "And my hobby is… well, my dream is to…" Sakura then squealed gleefully, which made Hikari giggle one more.

"And? What do you hate?" Kakashi prompted.

"Naruto."

Kakashi sighed. _'Girls her age must be more interested in love than ninja training.' _

"Next." Kakashi continued.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate, and there aren't a lot of things that I like." Sakura looked a bit surprised, and Hikari frowned at Sasuke. "Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as just a dream. The revival of my clan, and to… kill a certain man."

Hikari gasped lightly while Naruto looked scared, Sakura was daydreaming about him, and Kakashi's thoughts were confirmed.

"Alright then. Last one."

Hikari looked away from her teammates and turned her golden eyed gaze to her sensei. His visible eye widened slightly when he saw her eyes.

"Well, my name is Hikari. Just Hikari. I like… Well, I appreciate a lot of things in life. One thing I hate is…" She looked up to the clear blue sky in thought. "I hate people who abandon others. I think that's just disgusting. My hobby is taking long walks outside, in any kind of weather. I don't mind the rain, but I like sunshine better. And my dream…"

For a second, Hikari closed her eyes and remembered why she had altered time, and come to Earth. Because of _their _prayers…

"My dream is to make my friends happy. I hate seeing people I care about upset, or hurt. I know it seems like a strange dream to have, but that's someone else's opinion, not mine. So… that's about it." Hikari smiled.

Kakashi almost smiled, but said, "Alright, all four of you have unique personalities. I like that. We're going to begin a mission starting tomorrow."

Naruto sat back, excited. "What kind of a mission is that, sir?!"

"First, we're going to do something that we five can do." Kakashi replied.

"What what what, what is it?" Naruto persisted.

"Survival training."

"Survival training?" Naruto murmured.

"Why are we going to train when it's a mission?" Sakura asked, just as confused as Naruto. "We had plenty of training at the academy."

"This is no ordinary training." Kakashi said firmly.

"Then, then what kind of training is it?"

At this, Kakashi began to chuckle.

Hikari cocked her head at Kakashi questioningly, while Sakura muttered, "Hey, what's so funny, Sensei?"

"Well, if I say this, I'm sure you four are going to be surprised." Kakashi replied, still chuckling. "Out of the twenty-eight graduates, only ten or less will become Genin. It's hard to say, since there is an uneven number of graduates. The others will be sent back to the academy. In other words, this training is going to be a very hard test with a dropout rate of sixty-six percent."

Sakura and Naruto wore shocked expressions, Sasuke was emotionless, and Hikari was faintly smiling for some reason.

"See? You are surprised!"

Naruto looked outraged. "No way! I went through so much trouble… Then what was the final exam for?"

"That? It just picks out those who are qualified to become Genin."

"WHAT?!?"

"Anyway, I'm going to determine whether you pass or fail tomorrow at the training grounds. Bring your ninja equipment and meet at 5 A.M!"

Hikari glanced over at Naruto to find him shaking a bit. _'I'm not going to get dropped by a thing like this. I have to make him recognize my abilities, for real.' _

Sakura was a bit nervous as well. _'If I fail this test, I'm going to be separated from Sasuke. This is a trial of love!' _

Even though Sasuke wouldn't admit to being nervous as well, if one looked, they would see his hands shaking.

"Now then, meeting over!" Kakashi declared, waving a hand. "Oh yeah, don't eat breakfast. You're going to throw up if you do."

The four teammates watched in shock as their sensei disappeared with a poof. Hikari blinked before standing up and turning to face the three who had now stood up as well.

"Don't worry, you guys!" Hikari exclaimed, grinning widely. "I swear I'll do anything for my team! That's what friends are for, eh?"

The three other people beside her had expressions of mixed shock and confusion.

_'…Friends?' _

XXX

**Author's Note: The second chapter is finished. I hope you people enjoyed reading it, because I definitely enjoyed writing it. I'll have the third chapter posted up as soon as I can, and guess what it features? That's right; the bell test! It should definitely be fun to write. Until then! **

**Fate **


	3. Teamwork! The Bell Test

**Author's Note: You know, I've been thinking. It's strange how a story can get so many hits, favorites, alerts, and it can even be added to a C2… but you look at the reviews and there's, like… one. Personally, it drives me a little nuts. Just a tiny bit. So, I'm going to ask that if you read this story, and you enjoy it, don't just favorite or alert it… throw a girl a review, please? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'Come' by Namie Amuro. **

XXX

_'Come my way, _

_Kono yami no hotori _

_Come close to me _

_Ima akari tomoshi _

_I'll be with you, I'll be with you _

_Tada soba ni iru kara _

_So come my way.' _

_**-Namie Amuro, 'Come.' **_

XXX

The next morning, at precisely 5 A.M, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Hikari met up, two out of the four looking extremely tired.

"Guess you guys aren't exactly morning people are you?" Hikari teased.

Sakura and Naruto responded to that with a yawn.

XXX

Exactly six hours later, Kakashi greeted his four students. "Hi fellows. Good morning."

"YOU'RE LATE!" shrieked Naruto and Sakura. Hikari smirked.

"A black cat crossed my path, so…" Kakashi trailed off at the grumblings of a pink haired kunoichi and blonde Kyuubi vessel. He coughed and said, "Let's move on."

The four students looked on curiously as Kakashi took out an alarm clock and placed it on an old tree stump. "Alarm set at 12 P.M." Kakashi announced. Then, he pulled out three jingling bells. "Today's topic is to get one of these bells from me. Whoever can't will have no lunch."

"What!"

Kakashi pointed to four posts. "I'm going to tie you there, and eat lunch in front of you."

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto looked extremely hungry at that precise moment.

_'So that's why he said…' _

_'…Don't eat breakfast.' _

"But wait," Sakura spoke up. "Why are there only three bells?"

Kakashi seemed to be smiling under his mask. "Since there's only three, at least one of you will have to be tied to the post. That person will fail because he or she failed to complete the mission. The person will go back to the academy."

"It might be just one, or all three. You may use your shuriken. You won't be able to get these unless you have the will to kill me."

"But that's too dangerous, Sensei." Sakura protested.

"Yeah, you couldn't even dodge that chalk eraser!" Naruto laughed.

Hikari crossed her arms and frowned. "You know, I agree with Sakura. Doesn't that seem a little… extreme?"

"In society, those who don't have many abilities tend to complain more. Just ignore the guy with the lowest score." Kakashi said dryly. Naruto looked at him seriously.

"We're going to begin after I say, 'Ready, start.'"

Without warning, Naruto whipped out a kunai and charged at Kakashi. Kakashi blocked it with just one hand, and soon he had it pointed at the base of Naruto's neck.

"Don't be so hasty. I didn't say, 'Start,' yet."

All the students backed away slightly. _'No way… I couldn't see him at all.' _

_'So this is a Jounin…' _

"But," Kakashi interrupted their thoughts. "It looks like you have the will to kill me now."

_'Hm. Like that's going to help.' _Hikari thought.

"We're going to start. Ready… Start!!!"

XXX

(A/N: Hikari's point of view.)

As soon as Kakashi yelled out for us to begin, my teammates and I hopped off in different directions. I jumped into the highest tree I could find and hid in the leaves again. I could see everything from my position. I knew staying hidden was important in this test, as did everybody else. I saw Sakura hidden in the bushes just below my tree, and Sasuke was in another tree, a good fifty feet away from me, I'd say. But, I didn't see Naruto…

"Let's have a match fair and square!!!"

_'Oh… that's where he is… This can't end well.' _I thought, chuckling as quietly as I could.

"Hey, aren't you a little weird compared to the rest?" Kakashi taunted him.

"What's weird is your hairstyle!" Naruto retorted. I couldn't help it- I started laughing. Fortunately, the only one who heard me was Sakura, who looked up and saw me from a space in the leaves.

Naruto charged at Kakashi, but stopped short when his hand reached into the leather pouch he wore.

"Ninja tactic know-how number one: taijutsu. I'll teach you that first."

Kakashi pulled out a perverted novel. I groaned.

"What's the matter? Come and get me."

_Thud. _

"Well," I began from my position behind Kakashi. "Since you insist." I had kicked out his feet from under him, much to his and Naruto's surprise.

"Wha-what? How did you do that?" Naruto asked, stuttering in shock.

"Well, nobody can handle this job alone. You want some help?"

Naruto grinned, charging at Kakashi. "You bet. But I'm still going to pound him!!!"

I smiled and jumped up into the air so as to get out of his way. Naruto aimed a punch at Kakashi, but he blocked it with his hand and jumped back up, fast as ever. He even dodged Naruto's roundhouse kick!

I landed beside Sakura's hiding place just as she jumped up and shouted, "Run, Naruto! You're going to die!"

I whipped around just as Naruto flew into the air, screaming. _'Oh Lord… We need more help.' _

"Sakura, quick. You have to help fight Kakashi with us!" I whispered, dropping down into the bushes as she did.

"How can I do that? He's a Jounin!"

"But still! If every single one of us works together, we can get the bells, I'm sure of it! Just trust me on this one, please!" I begged, putting on a puppy face.

Slowly and reluctantly, Sakura nodded. "I guess I could try… what do I have to do?"

"Not yet," I murmured. "First, we have to get Sasuke to help, too. But, we'll have to impress him first…" I got an idea.

"I know!" I exclaimed in a whisper. "But where is-"

I stopped my self when I saw shuriken fly out of the pond where Naruto must have landed after flying through the air. _'Crud.' _I thought when Kakashi stopped them with his fingers.

"Naruto, wait!!! You won't be able to beat him alone! We have to work together!" I shouted, jumping over and grabbing him by the collar. I dragged him to another hiding spot nearby Sakura. "Look, I know you're hungry, but working together will help! Understand?"

Naruto looked at me curiously before agreeing with a nod of his head. _'At least he's more willing to comply than Sakura was. And Sasuke's going to be even harder to convince… And we need to work together, otherwise we'll fail just like they did the first time.' _I thought, remembering when I had watched them perform the bell test on their own. Naruto failed immediately, Sasuke failed anyway, and Sakura was just pitiful.

"Look, stay hidden until I jump back here. I've got a plan, just wait." I ordered, jumping up into the air again.

"Hey, Sensei!" I shouted. If I wanted Sasuke to cooperate, I'd have to be just as good as him. Since I knew he was watching everything, he'd definitely see this. _'It's a good thing I have the power to be able to do this, otherwise I might kill myself.' _I thought, performing some hand seals. I gathered up as much chakra as I could and shouted,

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

I exhaled and watched as one giant fireball made its way towards our sensei, who was looking pretty shocked at the moment. However, Kakashi just dodged it in the end.

_'Perfect.' _I thought as I landed behind Sasuke. He turned and glared icily at me, but I didn't care.

"So, you going to help, or do I have to fry your hair off with another fireball?"

"… How can you perform the Grand Fireball Jutsu?" he asked. After all, it was pretty advanced.

I shrugged. "I have to be able to fight with something, don't I? You're not the only one who's good at fire element jutsus." I looked up and spotted a huge, thick tree branch right above us. "Look, I have a plan on how to get those bells from Kakashi. Wait up on that tree branch for Sakura, Naruto, and me. I'll explain then."

I paused as I was about to jump off the branch. "If you don't listen, I'll make sure it's _you _tied to one of those posts out there."

XXX

"So, Hikari, what's the plan?" Sakura asked me, once we were completely hidden in the trees.

"Okay, I want all of you to listen real closely. We only have half an hour left before noon, so this has to be done well, got it?"

Everybody nodded, and I began to explain my plan.

XXX

(A/N: Normal point of view.)

"Hm." Kakashi muttered. "Those kids have twenty minutes left, and I haven't seen them. What are they doing…?"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as he looked up to find seven Naruto's diving towards him. Right behind the shadow clones, Kakashi spotted Sakura and Sasuke diving down as well. _'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…? That means those clones are real bodies…' _

Kakashi put away his perverted novel and flipped back out of the way of the shadow clones. To his great shock, he felt something wrap itself around his ankle and give a sharp tug. Kakashi fell to the ground once again, but not before kicking the thing around his ankle away.

"Sasuke, Sakura, now!" he heard a voice behind him yell. Glancing back, his single visible eye spotted the golden eyed Hikari. _'Again? That's the second time she got me… That girl is fast.' _

Looking up, Kakashi spotted six kunai flying straight at him. All six struck the ground around Kakashi.

Chuckling, he announced, "You guys have bad aim."

Naruto and his shadow clones grinned. "Guess again, Sensei."

Kakashi's visible eye widened, and he discovered that the kunai hadn't missed their mark at all. Grunting with effort, Kakashi found that the kunai had been embedded in his sleeves and pant legs quite deeply, pinning him down. "It appears I underestimated you guys. But it's not over yet."

The Kakashi that was pinned down by the kunai disappeared with a puff of smoke. A log was left in its place.

"Replacement jutsu!" Sakura cried out.

"Uh oh…" Hikari muttered, looking around quickly. When had he done that? When she glanced up, her eyes widened. "Sasuke, Sakura, above you!!!"

Sasuke was the first to react. Jumping forward, he grabbed Sakura's wrist and jumped aside with her. A large crash sounded throughout the training ground, and dust and pieces of earth flew everywhere.

_'Kakashi punched the ground and nearly got Sasuke and Sakura... Going to have to be more careful.' _Hikari thought, running forward.

"Naruto, I need your shadow clones to help!" she shouted, jumping high into the air.

"You got it!" six of the Narutos cried out, jumping into the air as well.

"When I say now, dive for the ground and punch it as hard as you can! Sasuke, Sakura, and the real Naruto will jump into the air so they won't get knocked back. Ready? NOW!"

Six Narutos and Hikari flew down fast as a bullet, their fists in front of them ready to deliver a harsh blow to the ground. Just as they connected, the real Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke jumped up as high as possible for them.

As more pieces of the earth flew in all different directions, a silver haired Jounin was tossed into the air by the sheer impact of the punches. _'God… what is with these kids? I didn't expect them to work together so flawlessly. And especially so quickly.' _

Kakashi was so wrapped up in thought that he didn't notice a black blur streak right by him and up into the air.

Landing on his feet swiftly, Kakashi stood up straight and looked around. Naruto's shadow clones had disappeared, and all he saw was the real Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke staring up at the sky intently.

It was only when he heard a faint jingling sound did he look up. Three tiny objects rocketed towards the students of his that were on the ground, all of them looking stunned. One by one, they raised their hands and one jingling object flew safely into their hands.

_'Impossible…' _Kakashi thought, squinting up at the sky. A clear, ringing laughter could be heard as the silhouette of his fourth student was seen flipping down towards the ground.

Landing gracefully with a thud, Hikari laughed just as an alarm went off, signaling that it was noon. "So, Kakashi-sensei, did they pass?" Hikari asked breathlessly.

Kakashi blinked, looking at his students. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood there, staring in shock at the tiny bell in each of their hands. After Hikari had swiped them from an unsuspecting Kakashi, she had immediately thrown them to her teammates, not even keeping one for herself. When Kakashi looked at Hikari, he saw a grinning child who was close to laughing with joy. She was obviously proud of her teammates, because she looked at them with admiration and happiness.

_'The fact that they all worked together is one thing, but this girl… There's something special about her. She put her teammates above everything else, including herself. Not to mention, she performed an advanced Fire Style jutsu.' _

The skin around Kakashi's visible eye wrinkled, and Hikari knew that he was smiling. With a chuckle, he announced, "You _all _pass. Congratulations."

Hikari's eyes widened, along with everybody else's, and Hikari's grin widened. "Yeah, YEAH!!!" she shouted, jumping up and punching the air.

Kakashi sighed. "I have to say, I'm surprised. I didn't think you guys would make it. Four different kids with completely different personalities. It doesn't exactly make it easy to work together. That's why I thought you would fail. This test wasn't to prove who was better than the other. It was to prove whether you could or couldn't work together as a team. Teamwork is the key to a successful mission. If you don't have teamwork, you have nothing."

Sakura smiled, but then asked, "Wait, why do we need to use teamwork if there are only three bells? We all worked to get one, but in the end, Hikari was the one who had to bite the bullet."

"Well," Kakashi started. "That was it. This test was meant to pit you four against each other. In this situation, we select those who can prioritize teamwork before themselves; those like Hikari. That was the purpose, but all of you managed to work together instead of fight each other."

Kakashi looked up at the sky. "You know, in the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum. But, you know what's worse than breaking the rules?" Kakashi asked.

"What?" Naruto piped up.

"Those who abandon their friends." Kakashi looked at Hikari. "I hate people like that, too."

"The training ends here." he called out. "Everybody passes. Team Seven will begin doing missions starting tomorrow!"

"Yes Sir!!!" Sakura called out, grinning from ear to ear.

Sasuke smirked.

Naruto jumped up and down, his grin wider than Sakura's. "I did it! I'm a ninja, ninja, ninja!!!"

Hikari grinned. "Uh uh. _We _did it!"

Kakashi chuckled. "Let's go home."

XXX

**Author's Note: Chapter three is done! Sorry if the action scene where they got the bells wasn't too good, I'm not all that awesome with scenes like that. My poor brain… **

**Anyways, in the next chapter, we feature the journey to the Country of the Wave! One of my favorite Team Seven adventures! **

**Review please! **

**Fate **


	4. Starting Out On A Journey

**Author's Note: In case some forgot to read the last Author's Note, the next few chapters will be featuring the Wave Country arc. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or 'Harumonia' by Rythem. **

XXX

_'Naki taku natte, nige taku natte, _

_Shiawase o wasure teu shimatta ra mina utae, _

_Hikari ga umare yami ga umare ta, futatsu wa hitutsu, _

_Harumonia kanji te, terepashii, _

_Ne kikoe masu ka?' _

_**-Rythem, 'Harumonia.' ** _

XXX

"This is Sasuke. Arrived at Point B."

"This is Sakura and Hikari. Arrived at Point C."

"This is Naruto. Arrived at Point A."

"You're slow, Naruto. Okay, seventh unit… The target has moved. After it!"

There was a rustling of bushes, and Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hikari popped out from behind some trees.

"Okay, he's there." Sakura whispered. The four children quickly changed positions.

"What's the distance to the target?" Kakashi asked.

"Five meters. I'm ready to go." Naruto replied.

"I am, too." Sasuke whispered.

"All set here." Hikari spoke.

"Okay. Go!" Kakashi commanded.

Four blurs streaked by as they approached their target. With a cry, Naruto grabbed the yowling cat.

"I got you!"

"Does it have a ribbon on its right ear?" Kakashi's voice could be heard through the earpiece. "Is it our target, Tora?" he asked as said cat proceeded to attempt to claw Naruto's eyes out.

"It's the target for sure." Sasuke replied as Hikari laughed at the sight of Naruto flailing around on the ground.

"Okay. 'Operation Capture Tora the Lost Pet' complete." Kakashi stated.

"ISN'T THERE A MORE EXCITING MISSION WE CAN WORK ON?!" Naruto shouted. In the background, Hikari could be heard laughing.

"Naruto, calm down. I'm sure Kakashi-sensei's gone deaf now…"

XXX

"Oh, my cute Tora-chan! I was so worried about you!!!"

Naruto snickered and whispered, "That cat's getting what he deserves."

"No wonder he ran away…" Sakura piped up, earning another laugh from Hikari.

Indeed, the poor cat currently being cuddled by an obese woman looked ready to poison his own kitty kibble.

XXX

"Now then," the Third Hokage stated, reading off a piece of paper. "Kakashi's seventh unit's next mission is… Babysitting Yojyu-sama's boy. Grocery shopping at the neighboring town. Helping dig up potatoes at-"

"No!" Naruto interrupted. "No thanks to all of those!" he shouted, making an X with his arms for emphasis. "I want to do a more exciting mission! Choose something else!"

_'There's some truth to that.' _Sasuke admitted silently.

_'What a troublesome guy.' _

Kakashi sighed. _'I knew he was going to do this soon.' _

"Idiot!" Iruka shouted from his position next to the Hokage. "You're still a novice ninja! Everyone needs to start with the easy missions to gain experience!"

"But, but…" Naruto protested. "We've only been doing dumb missions lately!"

Naruto was immediately silenced by a punch on the head, courtesy of Kakashi. "Cut it out." he ordered.

"Naruto!" the Hokage called. "It looks like I need to explain to you what missions are."

"Listen, a lot of clients come to this village every day. They request things from babysitting to assassinations. On the request list, a variety of requests are listed on it, and they are separated into ranks A, B, C, or D according to difficulty. In this village, we separate people into Jounins, Chuunins, and Genins according to their ability. We higher officials assign the missions to ninja with the appropriate abilities. And if we complete the mission, we receive a fee from the client. You have all become Genins recently, so D ranked missions are best for you."

The Hokage finished his explanation to find only the golden eyed girl listening, while the rest were discussing what to eat for lunch.

"Listen!" the Hokage shouted.

"I am sorry." Kakashi spoke, almost sheepishly.

Naruto turned to face the Hokage. "You always lecture me like that, pops. But I'm not the kid who used to pull pranks anymore!" Naruto huffed and turned around, crossing his arms childishly.

Hikari smiled and looked at the Hokage pleadingly. "You know, Hokage-sama… He's right. Naruto has gotten better, even if he is still a loudmouth. Couldn't you just consider it… Please?" Hikari begged, her golden eyes sparkling.

The Hokage and Iruka contemplated the request for a few moments before they both chuckled. _'This girl… sticking up for Naruto of all people. What a kid…' _

"Okay, I understand." the Hokage announced. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke looked up in shock.

"If you insist… I will allow you to take on a C ranked mission. It's to escort a certain person."

Naruto looked back around, a toothy grin on his face. "Really? Who? Who? The feudal lord? Or a princess?"

"Don't get so hasty." the Hokage reprimanded, even though he was still smiling. "I'll introduce him now. Can you please come in now?" the Hokage called out.

Squad Seven turned to see a drunken man holding a sake bottle enter the room. "What? They're all kids!" he exclaimed roughly.

After taking a few more large gulps from his bottle, he asked, "Hey, is the smallest one with the idiotic face really a ninja?"

Naruto laughed. "Who's the smallest one with the idiotic face?"

Sasuke, Sakura, and Hikari glanced at him and then stepped closer. Sasuke was the tallest, while Sakura and Hikari were the same height. The shortest was-

"I'm gonna kill you!!!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping at the man in the doorway.

Kakashi grabbed the enraged blonde by the collar. "Don't kill the one you're supposed to escort, idiot." he scolded while Sakura placed her hand on her forehead, Sasuke sighed and looked down, and Hikari just laughed.

After downing a few more large gulps of sake, the man in the doorway announced, "I'm the bridge building expert Tazuna. Once I have returned to my country, I will have all of you protect my life with yours while I complete the bridge."

XXX

As Tazuna and Squad Seven made their way past the Gates of Konoha, Naruto turned and raised his arms in the air triumphantly. "All right! Let's go!"

"What are you all excited for?" Sakura asked from her place beside Sasuke.

"Because I've never gone outside the village before!" Naruto replied, looking around with enthusiasm.

Tazuna turned to look at Kakashi. "Hey, will a kid like this really be capable of this mission?" he asked, rudely pointing to Naruto.

Kakashi laughed. "I, a Jounin, will be accompanying you. There's no need to worry."

Naruto crossed his arms, his eyebrow twitching in anger. _'This guy is the worst client ever. I need to say something.' _

Naruto whirled around and pointed at Tazuna accusingly. "Hey, geezer, don't underestimate ninjas! I'm a great ninja! I'm the elite ninja who will receive the title of Hokage one day. The name is Uzumaki Naruto. Remember it!"

"Hokage is the village's number one ninja, right?" Tazuna asked, stopping his drinking for a moment. "I don't think a guy like you can become one."

"Shut up!" Naruto protested. "I'm willing to go through any hardship to become a Hokage! _If _I become a Hokage, you'll have to take notice of me!"

Tazuna scoffed. "I wont, kid. That is, even _if _you become a Hokage."

For the second time that day, Naruto charged at the bridge builder, exclaiming that he was going to kill him.

XXX

(A/N: Hikari's point of view.)

"Hey, Tazuna-san…" I heard Sakura begin as we walked along.

"What is it?" he answered gruffly.

"You're from the Country of the Wave, right?"

"What about it?"

I saw Sakura look back at our sensei. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, are there ninja in that country?"

"No, there are no ninja in the Country of the Wave." he answered. "But while the culture and customs of other countries may be different, hidden villages and ninja do exist."

"To the many countries that exist on this land, the existence of ninja villages is the equivalent of the country's military powers. In other words, that is how they are able to maintain the relationship with neighboring countries. But the villages aren't under control of that country. They are supposedly equal in position. On a small island like the Country of the Wave, where it is difficult to be influenced by other countries, there is no need for a ninja village."

"Among the countries that have a ninja village… Since the five countries of fire, water, lightning, wind, and earth occupy a large mass of land and their powers are immense, they are known as the Five Great Ninja Powers. Country of Fire's Hidden Village of Konoha (Leaf). Country of Water's Hidden Village of Mist. Country of Lightning's Hidden Village of Cloud. Country of Wind's Hidden Village of Sand. Country of Earth's Hidden Village of Rock. Only the leader of each village is allowed to carry the name of 'Kage'."

"Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage, otherwise known as the 'Five Kages', are ninjas that reign over the tens of thousands of ninjas that exist in the countries throughout the world."

"Wow!" I heard Sakura exclaim. "So Hokage-sama must be a great man!"

I sighed. They were probably doubting him at this very second.

"Hey. You all just doubted Hokage-sama, didn't you?"

I started laughing so hard I got a side cramp. Their expressions…

"Don't worry, we won't have any ninja battles in a C ranked mission." Kakashi reassured us, patting Sakura's pink head.

"Then, there's no worry about meeting a foreign ninja."

"Exactly."

XXX

(A/N: Normal point of view.)

At some point later on in the day, something happened. Hikari didn't know how, but it happened.

It just looked like an innocent puddle!

But no, all of a sudden two masked people just had to come flying out of the so-called puddle and tie up Kakashi in metal bonds.

"What!"

Suddenly, the spiked metal bonds holding Kakashi pulled tighter and ripped him apart. Sakura, Naruto, and Hikari shrieked in horror.

The two masked men suddenly appeared behind Naruto.

"Second one."

As Naruto turned around, a terrified expression on his face, he saw the two men coming at him with more spiked metal bonds.

And suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Hikari was standing in front of Naruto, shielding him from harm.

"You will never hurt my friends!" she growled. "Hikari Shield!"

Hikari brought her hands forward, revealing the fact that they were now glowing with a golden chakra. As she put them in front of her, the chakra spread out and formed a solid, golden shield. The metal bonds struck the shield, and the two men were thrown back as Hikari pushed the chakra out, causing the shield to disappear. Naruto stared wide-eyed at the young girl before him.

_'How did she…? How did she control her chakra like that? Her chakra's so powerful I could see it!' _

However, the men regained their composure, and one of them flew back at Naruto. Hikari re-enforced the Hikari Shield and looked at the direction the other man was heading in. She gasped.

"Sakura!"

Sakura whimpered. _'I have to do it, I have to do it.' _

She dashed in front of Tazuna the same way Hikari had dashed in front of Naruto. "Stay back!" she cried, bringing her kunai up in front of her in a defensive stance.

From his position, Sasuke whirled around at Sakura's shout. Suddenly, he was in front of Sakura, unmoving, his arms out in a protective manner.

Hikari's eyes widened as she strengthened the Hikari Shield to keep away the current threat to her and Naruto. _'Sasuke…?' _

Sasuke's expression hardened as he continued to protect Sakura and Tazuna without even a weapon. Suddenly, someone was holding the man back by the neck in one arm, and they had the second man in the other one.

"Hey."

Hikari grinned, dropping the Hikari Shield and falling to her knees. "Kakashi-sensei!"

Sakura smiled. _'Kakashi-sensei! He's alive!' _

Sasuke looked irked. _'What a show-off.' _

"Naruto, sorry for not helping you right away. I got you hurt. It's a good thing Hikari was nearby though."

A faint laugh could be heard from Hikari, who was still on her knees, panting. "Anything… for a… friend." she murmured. She looked wiped. _'That took more energy than I thought it would. I guess being human has more limits than I thought it would…' _

"Hey." Sasuke called to Naruto, who had just stood up. "Are you hurt… Mr. Scaredy Cat."

Before Naruto could respond, Kakashi called out, "Naruto! There's poison on these guys' nails. We need to take out the poison right away."

_'What? Take out poison? But no one…' _Hikari gasped as she caught sight of Naruto's hand. It was scratched and bloody. "Naruto!" she cried out, her eyes filling slightly with tears. "I'm sorry! I didn't see-"

"Don't worry, Hikari!" Naruto replied, forcing a grin. "It's not your fault!"

Naruto, we have to open up your wound and leech out the poisoned blood." Kakashi said. "Don't move that much, or the poison will spread through your body." Naruto cringed.

"By the way, Tazuna-san…"

Tazuna jumped. "W-What is it?"

Kakashi turned his head slightly. "I need to talk to you."

XXX

Squad Seven and the bridge builder stared at the two men who were currently bound to a tree.

"These guys are Chuunin class ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist." Kakashi informed the group. "They are ninjas known to keep fighting no matter what the cost."

"How were you able to detect our action?" one of the men questioned.

"It hasn't rained in the past few days, and it's sunny, so a water puddle shouldn't exist." Kakashi stated simply.

"Why did you let the kids fight if you knew that?" Tazuna questioned.

"If I was up to it, I could have killed these two in the blink of an eye. But…" Kakashi glared at Tazuna. "I needed to know who the target for these two was."

"What do you mean?" Tazuna asked.

Kakashi turned to face Tazuna. "In other words, were you being targeted, or someone from our ninja group? We have not heard anything about you being targeted by ninja. Your request was to protect you from armed groups like gangs and robbers. This is a mission that is above B rank. Our job was to support and guard you until you completed the bridge. If ninja are our enemy, this mission would have been an expensive B rank. It looks like you have your reasons, but it only troubles us if you lie in your request details. This wasn't part of the mission."

Sakura leaned forward and nervously said, "This mission is out of our league. Let's quit!" she shrugged. Hikari blinked and looked at her in shock. "We need anesthesia to take the poisoned blood out of Naruto, too. We need to go back to the village and see a doctor!"

Kakashi turned to look at Naruto, who was holding up his hand while he and Hikari examined it. Naruto became aware of Kakashi's gaze and turned to look at him. Kakashi sighed.

"This sure is a burden. Let's go back to the village and cure Naruto."

Naruto growled and whipped out a kunai. Squeezing his eyes shut, he slammed it into the front of his injured hand. Crimson liquid spurted from the wound, and Sakura and Hikari screamed. Tazuna, Kakashi, and Sasuke stared at him, wide-eyed from shock.

"Why am I so different… Why am I always…" Naruto muttered. "Damn it!"

Sakura and Hikari ran forward. "Naruto!" Sakura cried out. "What are you doing?!"

Naruto continued, the kunai still embedded deeply in his hand. "I should be stronger… I've accomplished lots of missions and I've practiced techniques everyday… I'm never going to do something that will require someone to help me. I'm never going to be frightened and try to back out of things. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke."

At this, Hikari stifled a gasp and glared back over her shoulder at the Uchiha prodigy.

"I vow that to this pain in my left hand. I'm going to protect the old man with this kunai!" With that, Naruto turned around and chuckled. "The mission is still on."

As Hikari ran to Naruto's side and removed the kunai from his left hand as gently as she could, Kakashi spoke up. "Naruto, it's nice that you removed the poisoned blood so spiritedly… But you're going to die from loss of blood if any more comes out."

Naruto turned blue as Hikari looked at him curiously. "…Naruto?"

Kakashi came up behind him as his hand started shaking. "It's not good if you don't stop it right away. Seriously."

Naruto screamed and began to jump all over the place, shaking his arms wildly. "No, no, no, no, no, no! I can't die like this!"

"Show me your hand."

Naruto continued to scream, holding his hand out to Kakashi. "No! Help me!"

Sakura walked up to Naruto and placed her hands on her hips. "Naruto, you have a self-abusing personality. That's called masochism, you know." she informed him.

Kakashi was silent, staring a bit wide-eyed at Naruto's self inflicted wound. _'His cut is already starting to heal.' _

"Um, um…"

Kakashi looked up at a trembling blonde boy. "Am I… okay? You have a serious look on your face."

"You should be okay." Kakashi informed his student, starting to wrap a bandage around the bloody hand.

_'It must be the Kyuubi's power.' _

XXX

**Author's Note: Yeah! This chapter was so fun to write… XD! I just love the wave country arc… **

**By the way, the Hikari Shield is just a little thing I made up. I thought it would be kind of cool if you could do that with chakra, so… Hehe. Anyway, I should have the next chapter up quickly, seeing as I type them while watching Naruto episodes online. **

**Review, please! **

**Fate **


	5. Deadly Assault! Zabuza Appears!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and the only Hikari I own is definitely not the one by Utada Hikaru. **

XXX

_'Donna toki datte, _

_Zutto futari de. _

_Donna toki datte, _

_Soba ni iru kara. _

_Kimi to iu hikari ga watashi o mitsukeru, _

_Mayonaka ni.' _

_**-Utada Hikaru, 'Hikari.' **_

XXX

In the midst of a fog so thick it was almost impossible to see through it, seven people rowed through dark waters in a small boat.

From her place beside Sasuke, Sakura murmured, "The mist is so thick. I can't see what's ahead."

The others were silent for a few moments, Naruto facing away from everybody else except Hikari, who was elegantly perched in front of him, on the bow of the boat, her feet just barely above the water.

"We should be able to see the bridge soon. If we move along the side of the bridge, we'll be in the Wave Country." the man rowing the boat informed his passengers.

"I see it." Hikari said softly, tilting her head upward. A dark object began to come into view, looming above the seven people.

"It's huge!" Naruto shouted a large grin making its way onto his face.

"Hey, be quiet!" the man rowing the boat scolded. "We're using this boat and hiding in the mist. That's why I'm rowing instead of using the engine. In other words, if we get caught, we'll be in trouble." Naruto quickly clamped both hands over his mouth.

"Tazuna-san…" Kakashi began. Tazuna bowed his head.

"Before we get to the pier, there's something I need to ask you. The identity of the ones who are after you, and the reason they are after you. Or we can call this mission off when you get ashore, Tazuna-san." Kakashi threatened.

There were a few tense moments before Tazuna spoke, in which everybody looked at him intently. Finally, he raised his head.

"It looks like I have to tell you the real story. I mean, I would like for you to hear my story. As you said, this mission is most likely out of your job description. An extremely terrible man is after my life."

"An extremely terrible man?" Kakashi questioned. Hikari shifted slightly so she could see Tazuna better, careful not to fall of the bow. "Who is it?"

"You should all at least have heard of the name… Marine transportation billionaire Gatoh."

Kakashi's visible eye widened as he let out a somewhat stifled gasp. "Gatoh? The one from Gatoh Company? He's one of the richest men in the world."

Naruto leaned forward. "Who's that? What?"

Tazuna continued grimly. "Yes, he is the president of a marine transportation company on the outside… But underground, he uses gangs and ninjas to smuggle drugs and contraband goods. He also does nasty jobs like takeovers of other companies and countries. A year ago, he set his sights on the Country of the Wave. He entered this country using violence and wealth as his shield, and he quickly took over the island's sea traffic and transportation."

Hikari spoke up just then, her golden eyes shining like tiny lights in the dark mist. "But, why would Gatoh take such an interest in the Country of the Wave, Tazuna-san?"

Tazuna looked at her. "On an island like the Country of the Wave, controlling the sea means ruling over the wealth, politics, and people of this island. And the one thing Gatoh is afraid of…"

Tazuna looked up at the large structure by the boat's side. "…Is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for quite some time."

"Oh, I understand."

I see." Sakura said, her hand on her chin thoughtfully. "So you, as the one building the bridge, became an obstacle to him."

Sasuke turned to his teammates. "Then those ninja were sent by Gatoh."

"But I don't understand." Kakashi spoke up. "This is a dangerous man who uses ninja. Why did you hide that fact when you came to us?"

"The Country of the Wave is a really poor country. Even the feudal lord does not have that much money." Tazuna bowed his head again. "And we do not have much either."

Hikari's eyes widened and she made a small noise in the back of her throat; a sign she understood what Tazuna was saying. Cautiously, she inched forward and got off the bow to sit between Sasuke and Naruto.

"We don't have the money to request for an expensive B rank or above mission." Tazuna continued. "If you quit your mission after I land, I'll be killed for sure… while I go home. But there's no need for you to blame yourselves. Only my cute eight year old grandson will cry and cry and cry some more."

Sakura and Naruto's faces scrunched up. "What…"

"And my daughter will just hold a grudge against Konoha ninja and live a lonely life." Tazuna put in.

Hikari groaned slightly. "Kakashi-sensei…"

"But it's not your fault." Tazuna said.

Kakashi turned to look at his squad. Sakura was staring back at him, Naruto's face was scrunched up, Sasuke had his eyes closed, not caring which way the conversation went, and Hikari looked slightly weary. Kakashi scratched his forehead protector for a few moments before turning back to Tazuna, apparently smiling. He shrugged.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. We will continue escorting you."

"That's good to hear." Tazuna turned to look at the boatman behind him. He raised up his index and middle fingers in a sign of victory.

_'I won.' _

XXX

The Wave Country was beautiful.

Naruto grinned and made a sound of awe. Large, lush trees stood out of the crystal clear water that surrounded them. Tiny fish swam up to the boat curiously, and Hikari nudged Sakura and pointed at them, making her giggle.

As six people stepped onto the dock, the boatman said, "This is as far as I go."

"Sure. Thanks a lot." Tazuna replied.

"Be careful." the boatman warned. With that, the boatman turned on the engine and went off.

"Alright," Tazuna began. "Take me home safely." he ordered.

"Alright."

XXX

As Squad Seven and Tazuna walked through a forest, Kakashi thought wearily, _'If they are to attack, they will send Jounin level ninja instead of Chuunin level ones.' _He sighed wearily. _'Oh well…' _

As the group continued to walk along, Naruto growled slightly as Sasuke came up beside him. _'I'm not going to let this guy take the good parts anymore.' _

Naruto sprinted a few feet ahead of the group and began to quickly look around. Suddenly, he whipped out a kunai and hurled it into some nearby bushes. Sakura and Hikari made shocked noises as they, Kakashi, and Tazuna stared at him, eyes wide and jaws dropped. The only one who didn't look even remotely shocked was Sasuke, but that was expected.

"Hm, it was just a mouse." Naruto scoffed, looking proud of himself.

"Stop showing off! There was nothing there!" Sakura shouted, pointing at Naruto accusingly.

"Ah, Naruto, Sakura's right. It's dangerous to handle things so recklessly…" Hikari said.

"They're right. Please, Naruto, don't use your throwing knives so abusively. It's dangerous in the first place." Kakashi ordered.

"Hey, you dwarf! Don't scare us!" Tazuna bellowed.

Naruto began to move from side to side, scanning the area. "Hey, I see someone over there. No, is he over there?"

Sensing something, Kakashi turned his head to the side. Naruto turned in the same direction and threw another kunai into the bushes, much to Sakura's displeasure.

"I told you to stop!" Sakura shrieked, walking over and striking him harshly in the head as Hikari wandered curiously into the bushes.

Naruto groaned as he held his head. "But I really _did _sense someone." Naruto protested weakly. A sharp cry was heard, followed by a, "Naruto!"

Hikari came out of the bushes, gently holding a trembling little rabbit on one arm, and Naruto's kunai in the other. She looked more than a bit irritated. "I found the rabbit up against a tree with your kunai lodged just above its head, Naruto."

Sakura became angrier at the sight of the trembling woodland creature. "Naruto, look what you've done!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Rabbit!" he cried out guiltily. He ran up to Hikari and took the furry animal out of her arms, cuddling it. "Sorry! I didn't mean it! Sorry rabbit!" he crooned.

Tazuna looked on, an odd expression on his face. "It's just a rabbit."

Kakashi, however, didn't notice, seeing as he was deep in thought. _'That's a snow rabbit. But what's with the color of its fur? They only have white fur during winter; when the days are short. That means it is a rabbit that was raised inside a place where the sun isn't a factor for the replacement technique.' _

A loud shriek snapped him out of his thoughts. "Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi started and looked at Hikari. She was wide eyed with a terrified expression, looking up into a tree. "Everybody, duck!" he ordered.

Out of nowhere, a large blade was spinning towards them, aiming straight for Tazuna. As the others dived for the ground, Hikari jumped forward and brought out her hands, which were glowing gold once more. "Hikari Shield!" she cried, the chakra spreading out to form a solid barrier. Grunting with effort, she pushed the golden chakra out and deflected the large sword, said object embedding itself in the trunk of the tree it came from.

A figure dropped out of the tree, landing steadily on the hilt of the sword. Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "He's…"

Naruto was trembling with excitement. _'Someone's here, here, here! This time, I'll handle the situation. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke.' _he thought, glaring at said fellow ninja.

Kakashi stepped forward, speaking to the man. "Oh, my, my, you are Momochi Zabuza, the exiled ninja of the Hidden Village of Mist."

_'Exiled ninja? Who cares, I need to… On your mark… Go!' _Naruto charged forward, but was stopped by Kakashi's hand.

"You're in the way. Stay back, everyone." he ordered.

"Why?!" Naruto demanded.

"He's way different from the guys we met before. If he's our enemy… I can't win like this." Kakashi murmured, bringing a hand up to lift the side of his forehead protector that covered his eye.

"I'm guessing you are Kakashi the Sharingan user." the man known as Zabuza spoke, looking down at the group. At this, Sasuke made a surprised sound in the back of his throat as his eyes narrowed at Kakashi.

"I'm sorry, but I'll need you to hand over the geezer." Zabuza said, obviously not sounding the least bit remorseful.

"Everyone, form the swastika formation." Kakashi ordered. "Protect Tazuna-san. Don't join the battle."

"What?"

"To not interfere with the battle is teamwork."

Zabuza's eyes narrowed slightly as Kakashi lifted his forehead protector to reveal a scarred, blood red eye with three tomoe.

_'What's that eye?' _Naruto thought nervously.

"I'm honored that I can see the Sharingan that I've heard about." Zabuza said.

Naruto piped up just then, his voice irritated. "You guys have been saying Sharingan, but what is it?"

"Sharingan…" Sasuke spoke up. "The eye creates it, and it is the power that the pupil generates. Ones who use doujutsu are said to have eye powers that can see through all genjutsu, taijutsu, ninjutsu, and cancel their effects. Sharingan is one of those various types of eyes that those doujutsu users possess. But that's not the only ability the Sharingan possesses."

Hikari stared at him, silently saying, _'He would know, of course.' _

"Correct." Zabuza spoke. "That isn't it. The scary part is that the Sharingan can understand how an opponent's technique works, and copy it."

Suddenly, a thick mist began to form and cover the land, making it barely possible for the others to see a few feet in front of them.

"When I was in the Hidden Village of the Mist's assassination squad… your information was listed in the bingo book I carried asking for your capture. It also noted this… The man who copied more than one thousand techniques, Kakashi the copy ninja."

_'What?' _Sakura thought incredulously. _'Kakashi-sensei was that great of a ninja?' _

"Wow!" Naruto cried out.

_'I don't understand…' _Sasuke thought. _'Sharingan is a special trait that appears in only a limited amount of people in the Uchiha clan. Could he be…?!' _

Zabuza kneeled slightly. "Let's cut the chit-chat here. I have to kill that geezer right away."

At those words, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Hikari quickly dashed to their positions. Sakura and Naruto were on the sides, while Sasuke stood in the center, each holding up a kunai in a defensive sense. Hikari stepped in front of all of them and kneeled, outstretching one hand. It began to glow a familiar gold.

_'This way,' _Hikari thought, watching her chakra spread out to form the Hikari Shield, _'If he tries to come at us, he'd have to get through a barrier stronger than steel.' _

"But, Kakashi, it seems I have to defeat you first." Zabuza announced. Zabuza grabbed the hilt of his sword and kicked off the tree trunk.

"He's there!" Naruto announced, glancing behind him.

"And he's on top of the water?" Sakura exclaimed.

_'He's embedding a lot of chakra into the water.' _Kakashi realized.

"Mist concealment." Zabuza murmured. The mist began to thicken around him for a few moments before it dissipated, leaving nothing but a leaf, gently floating on top of the water.

"He's disappeared!"

"Sensei!" Sakura called as Kakashi approached the water.

"He'll try to eliminate me first, but… "

"What is he?" Sakura asked, worry evident in her voice.

"Momochi Zabuza." Kakashi answered. "He was in the Hidden Village of Mist's ANBU, and was known for his 'silent killing' techniques."

"Silent?" Naruto repeated nervously.

"Just as the name implies. It is a killing technique that is executed in a flash and carried out in absolute silence. It's possible that you'll be dead before you realize it." Hikari trembled a little. "And I can not use my Sharingan to its fullest potential. So don't let your guard down. But if you fail, you're only going to die."

"That's real comforting." Hikari muttered sardonically.

"The mist is getting thicker!" Naruto stated. Indeed, the figures of each other were beginning to fade in the haze, and the Hikari Shield was the only thing that could be seen clearly, with its striking golden shine.

"The Country of the Wave is surrounded by the ocean, so a mist often emerges." Tazuna said. In a few seconds, the mist thickened so much that Kakashi, who was only a yard or so in front of them, could no longer be seen. Even Hikari's crouching image began to fade ever so slightly.

"Eight points." The cold voice echoed slightly.

Sakura gasped. "What is it?"

Hikari stood up and took a few small steps closer to the group before crouching once more. She trembled with the action, and the light of the Hikari Shield began to fade slightly. It was taking a toll on Hikari, for the Hikari Shield required great focus and control of a large amount of chakra. The cold voice spoke out again.

"The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney, and heart. Now, which vital organ do you want to get struck on?"

Suddenly, Kakashi made a hand seal and the mist was blown back, disappearing.

Sasuke stared, wide eyed. _'Such an intense thirst for blood… One breathing motion or one eye movement will be detected, and it'll get me killed… That is the atmosphere I feel… If I stay here for an hour, I'll lose my mind. The murderous intent of two Jounins clashing… The feeling that my life is in someone's hand… No…' _His grip on his kunai tightened as he clutched it with both hands now. _'I'd rather kill myself to escape this feeling!' _

"Sasuke." The voice was gentle, attempting to calm frantic feelings. Sasuke turned his head slightly to look at the girl who spoke.

"Sasuke," Hikari said again. "Calm down. Losing control of yourself is what he wants you to do. Don't let him get to you. All you have to do is calm down."

At the calming tone of her voiced, Sasuke relaxed a little, his tensed shoulders dropping slightly and his second hand falling from the kunai. Something in her voice seemed to control and calm him and the others, an almost ethereal note to it.

"Sasuke." Kakashi spoke. "She's right. There is nothing to worry about. I will protect you all with my life. I won't let anyone on my team die."

"… I don't know about that."

_He was among them. _

"This is the end." his voice sent chills up and down everybody's spine.

Suddenly, Kakashi turned as everybody jumped away. Hikari dispelled the Hikari shield and was the last to move, tumbling to the side as Kakashi stabbed a kunai into Zabuza's stomach. Her golden eyes widened at the sight and she let out a shuddery gasp, trembling.

Water dripped from where Zabuza was stabbed, and another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi.

"Sensei, behind you!" Naruto warned.

"Die!" the real Zabuza roared as his water clone disappeared. In one swift movement, he had used his sword to cut straight through Kakashi. For a moment, he smiled wickedly… But then Kakashi turned into water, and he knew he had been tricked.

_'The water clone technique… Did he… copy it… In this mist?' _

The clinking of metal was heard as Zabuza found a razor-sharp kunai pressed lightly to his neck.

"Don't move." Kakashi warned threateningly.

"…This is the end."

XXX

**Author's Note: Another chapter finished! Eh, Sasuke went a little suicidal there for a moment; Hikari's got some work to do… D Well, since there is a thunderstorm going on right outside my window, expect another chapter soon. Anyway, review please! **

**Fate **


	6. Hikari's Sacrifice! A Plan!

**Author's Note: Another chapter just for you guys, cause you're so special. :D And yes, I am wired on coffee right now. By the way, as a response to a review, Hikari has an unlimited amount of chakra. What she does is she transfers her power of light (That's what her name means.) into chakra. Also, I will not be doing all of the group's adventures, but I will wind up going past the 100th episode and doing the first movie as well (Because it kicked ass!). :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'In My Mind' by SR-71. **

XXX

_'You'll be there in my mind, in my dreams you can hide, _

_And every night I'm gonna bring you back to life. _

_There in my mind, an Angel bathed in light, _

_Telling me everything's gonna be alright… _

_If I can just fall asleep tonight.' _

XXX

For a moment, everybody sat in their positions on the ground in stunned silence. Then Naruto cried out.

"WOW!!!"

Sakura let out a small chuckle of relief, and Hikari released the breath that she had unconsciously been holding. However, she did a double take when Zabuza began to chuckle maliciously.

"Is this the end?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as Zabuza spoke. "You don't understand. You can't defeat me with just your indiscriminate imitations. I can assure you that." Zabuza began to chuckle again. "But you're pretty good. I see that you copied my water clone technique when you said, 'I won't let anyone on my team die.' By making your clone speak as if it was the real one, you diverted my attention to the clone… while the real one used the Mist Concealment technique to hide and observe my movements. However…"

Faster than a blink of the eye, _another _Zabuza was behind Kakashi. "I'm not that easy to defeat."

Slashing the kunai towards himself, Kakashi discovered that the Zabuza he trapped was-

"That one's a fake too!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi turned to look behind him and saw Zabuza bringing forth his sword to destroy him. Kakashi ducked, and the sword flew back, embedding itself in the ground. Zabuza switched his position and grabbed the hilt with his other hand, using it as leverage to kick Kakashi straight into the air. Zabuza grabbed his sword once more and charged, until he realized that caltrops were scattered on the ground before him, preventing him from advancing further on foot.

Zabuza turned around. "How idiotic."

At that moment, Kakashi smacked into the water.

"Sensei!" Naruto cried. Sakura stared, dumbfounded.

_'**The **Kakashi-sensei was… kicked away?' _

"His hand-to-hand combat skill is superb, too." Sasuke pointed out.

Hikari let out an almost shaky breath. "Oh, what are we going to do…"

Kakashi emerged out of the water and looked at his arm. _'What's with this water? It's heavy for some reason.' _

Zabuza appeared behind him and began to rapidly form hand seals. "Idiot. Hydro-Prison Technique."

The water rose up to encase Kakashi inside it's spherical form. Kakashi mentally chastised himself. _'I thought I could use the water as a cover, but it turned out to be a mistake on my part.' _

Zabuza chuckled wickedly. "You fell for it. This is a special prison that you can't escape from. You give me a hard time when you're moving. Now then, Kakashi… I'm going to finish you off later." He turned to the group.

"First, I'm going to get rid of them. Water Clone Technique."

Kakashi lifted his head in surprise. _'I didn't think he was this strong.' _

The water began to shift and swirl, and in a few moments, an exact replication of Zabuza emerged from it. Zabuza began to chuckle as Naruto let out a strangled gasp.

"The three of you have forehead protectors on, as if you think you're ninja. But ninja refers to someone who has gone through numerous life and death situations. In other words, you can all call yourself a ninja when you appear in my bingo book." He made a hand seal. "You three aren't ninja."

The mist thickened once again and masked Zabuza.

_'He disappeared again!' _Naruto thought. And suddenly, Zabuza was in front of him, delivering a kick to the face that sent him flying and his forehead protector as well. As Naruto hit the ground roughly, Zabuza stomped on the Konoha ninja forehead protector.

"You're just kids." he said distastefully.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed. Hikari's eyes widened and she ran forward to help her teammate.

Before she could get there, however, Zabuza suddenly appeared in front of her, quicker than lightning. She let out something between a scream and a gasp, and before she could form the Hikari Shield, Zabuza ruthlessly backhanded her. Hikari flew back and her head connected harshly with a tree trunk. She coughed up some crimson liquid and then slumped to the ground.

"Hikari!!!"

Zabuza's eyes narrowed. "Friends won't help you. Friends are worthless."

"You monster!" Sakura shrieked angrily, running over to help Hikari stand.

"Everyone!" Kakashi shouted. "Take Tazuna-san and run! You can't win against him! He can't move as long as he has me trapped in this hydro-prison. He also won't be able to use his water clone once you get away from him! Run for it now!"

_'Run for it?' _Sasuke repeated mentally. _'You must be kidding. When you got caught, that was no longer an option. Even if we run, Zabuza will get to us sooner or later since we won't have you and we'll be annihilated. Even if we re-form the swastika formation, we can't block his attacks. He even got past the Hikari Shield. So in the end, we don't have much of a choice.' _He looked to his teammates; one was on the ground, trembling, and the other two were currently trying to stand up.

_'In order for us to survive, we have to save you!' _

"We have to do it!" Sasuke called out, charging towards the water clone. The water clone Zabuza turned towards the direction he was coming from and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Sasuke pulled out multiple shuriken and hurled them at Zabuza.

With one quick swipe of his sword, he deflected them _all_.

Sasuke jumped up into the air, Zabuza's cold gaze following him. With a large outcry, he flew downward, kunai in hand.

"Too easy."

Zabuza tightly gripped Sasuke's throat and held on for a few seconds before flinging him away.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried. Hikari clenched her teeth very tightly.

_'No…' _

"Sakura, go help him." Hikari whispered. Sakura promptly ran over to the fallen Uchiha, and Hikari smiled a little.

Naruto, however, began to tremble even more. "Sasuke got…" Fear etched deeply into his features, Naruto turned his gaze to Zabuza. _'This is a Jounin… A real ninja. I have to run. At this rate… we'll… we'll be killed for sure!'_ Naruto turned to get up and run, but a shooting pain in his hand stopped him.

"Ouch…!" Naruto turned his gaze to his bandaged hand. And suddenly, he remembered his vow, what he had said, and Sasuke's taunting.

_'I will not lose to Sasuke.' _

Naruto remembered that time at Ichiraku, where he had wanted so badly to wear the Konoha ninja forehead protector. The very same forehead protector that was currently under Zabuza's foot, being crushed. Naruto remembered what Kakashi had said about the true meaning of being a ninja, how Naruto had said he had changed, and how he had said he would reach his goal.

"Na… Naruto."

Naruto turned to look at Hikari. She had one hand gripping the back of her head, where she struck the tree. She was smiling faintly.

"You said you wouldn't run away, Naruto. Are you… are you going to go back on that vow?" Hikari winced as she coughed up more scarlet liquid, some of it forming a trail out of the corner of her mouth. But despite that, she still gave Naruto that faint, yet reassuring smile.

_'That's right… I became a ninja. And I vowed that I wouldn't run anymore! I won't run anymore!' _

With a loud battle cry, Naruto charged towards the water clone.

"Idiot! Stop!" Kakashi shouted.

Sakura screamed."Naruto! What are you thinking?!"

The water clone lifted his head slightly. "Idiot."

A resonating crash was heard, and Hikari saw some blood fly into the air, which made her eyes widen in fear. Naruto flew backwards and landed in front of the group, on his stomach.

Sakura gasped. "What were you thinking, charging in like that on your own?! Even Sasuke and Hikari are no match against him!"

Hikari blinked once. _'Half right on that one, Sakura. You don't know just how strong I really am.' _

Sakura continued. "Genins like ourselves have no way of defeating him no matter what we try!"

Sakura stopped shouting when she saw Naruto begin to rise, gripping something tightly in his bandaged hand.

_'…He went to get his forehead protector?' _

Everybody watched as Naruto slowly rose from his position on the ground. He spoke, a menacing tone in his voice.

"Hey, you… the freak with no eyebrows… Put this in your bingo book. The man who will become the Hokage of the Hidden Village of Konoha one day…" Naruto brought up his hands and began to tie his forehead protector around his head. "The Konoha-style ninja… Uzumaki Naruto!"

Zabuza narrowed his eyes at the young Kyuubi vessel.

_'Naruto…' _

_'He looked so unreliable when I first saw him, but…' _

"Sasuke," Naruto called. "Lend me your ear for a second."

"What do you want?"

"I have a plan."

Sasuke glanced at his teammate with an odd expression on his face. _'He came up with a plan in this situation…?' _

"I can't believe you want to work as a team." he commented.

Hikari snorted and quipped, "Join the club."

Sakura stared, silent. _'What…? What is this feeling? Was Naruto this…?' _

Naruto grinned and wiped the blood off the edge of his lip. "Let's go wild now!"

Zabuza began to chuckle. "You seem to be quite confidant, but do you even have a chance for victory?"

Kakashi raised his head. _'This isn't good…'_

"What are you doing?! I told you to run away! The outcome of this battle was decided when I got caught! Run! Our mission is to protect Tazuna-san! Did you forget that?!"

Naruto looked behind him and said pleadingly, "Old man…"

Tazuna bowed his head. "Don't worry; I caused all of this in the first place. I won't say that I want to survive no matter what." He looked up, determination set in his face. "I'm sorry. You fight as much as you want to."

Sasuke smirked. "That's how it is."

Naruto looked determined and excited. "Are you ready?"

Zabuza smirked, and then laughed confidently. "You sure don't learn, do you?"

"What?"

"Still pretending to be ninja? When I was your age, my hands were already soaked in blood."

"You sick monster…" Hikari growled. _'I don't understand. If he was like this, how did he possibly...?' _

"The Demon Zabuza." Kakashi realized.

"It looks like you've heard of me."

"A long time ago, the Hidden Village of the Mist was known as the Village of the Bloody Mist… In that village, there was an obstacle that existed to become a ninja."

Zabuza turned his head slightly. "So you know about the final test there."

"The final test?" Naruto echoed. Zabuza laughed. "Hey, what is that 'final test'?"

"…Students killing each other."

"Friends who have eaten from the same pot are separate into groups of two and forced to fight each other… Until one of them is killed. This is done with friends who have helped each other, shared their dreams, and competed together."

Sakura paled and became wide-eyed. "That's awful…"

"Ten years ago, the Hidden Village of Mist had to go through a reformation. Because in the previous year, a monster appeared that finally decided it."

"A reformation…? What did that monster do?" Sakura asked.

"A small boy who had not even gained the right to become a ninja… Killed more than one hundred candidates that year, and killed them all without hesitation."

Hikari bit her lip to keep from gasping, horrified at this piece of information. _'This world… it's so horrible. It was never meant to be this way…' _

Zabuza spoke, a reminiscent tone in his voice. "That was fun." When he opened his eyes, he looked straight at Sasuke and Naruto.

He decided to go for Sasuke first.

Without even seeing him move, Zabuza had elbowed Sasuke hard in the stomach. He went flying backwards, sliding along the rough ground on his back.

"Hikari Shield!"

Zabuza's elbow was met with resistance this time. Hikari was down on the ground, propped up on one hand, using the Hikari Shield with the other.

"Sakura! I can't push him back… He's too strong!" Hikari cried, groaning as Zabuza began to push down on the Hikari Shield. "Get Sasuke out of the way!"

Sakura whimpered a bit as she ran up obediently, grabbing Sasuke's arm and helping him move away.

Zabuza chuckled and seemed to be smirking wickedly behind his face bandages. "It's useless, little girl." He disappeared.

Hikari gasped as she dispelled the Hikari Shield and stood up. _'What…! Where did he go?!'_ A shriek answered that question.

"Hikari, behind you!" Sakura screamed.

Before Hikari could move, a sharp pain exploded in the back of her head. Zabuza had struck her as hard as he could, blood spurting out from the deep wound. He had probably cracked her skull. Hikari let out a small, barely audible gasp. Slowly, her wide eyes closed, and her knees buckled. Her teammates watched, all horrified, as she hit the ground, and didn't get up.

"HIKARI!!!"

Zabuza laughed as he picked up the limp girl by the throat. He held her up high, as if brandishing a trophy. "You see this? This is what happens to those who believe in defending their so-called friends." Zabuza tossed Hikari to the ground harshly. She rolled and landed on her back at the feet of Naruto and Sasuke. Zabuza smirked.

"They die."

"Damn you."

Zabuza looked up to see a blonde boy shaking, almost violently. He was angry. Naruto looked up at him, a vengeful and hateful expression on his face.

"DAMN YOU! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto hollered, forming a hand seal. About fifty clones appeared, surrounding Zabuza.

"Oh, the shadow replication technique? And you've created quite a few."

All the shadow clones drew a kunai. At the same time, they declared, "Here I come!" Charging, the clones landed on Zabuza, and for a few moments, everything was silent. But then, a large cry rang out, and every single one of the clones was flung off.

"That's impossible! You can't beat a guy like that!" Tazuna shouted fearfully.

One by one, the shadow clones disappeared as they hit the ground. Naruto rummaged around in his backpack and muttered, "I can only use this method to beat him now." Naruto hurled something into the air, shouting, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke outstretched his arm and caught the metal object, though he instantly realized what it really was. Whipping around, he pulled out another metal object and hid it beneath the first one, the action going unnoticed by Zabuza.

Sasuke held the metal object in front of him as it spun out to reveal a large shuriken. "The Fuuma Shuriken, the Shadow Windmill."

"A shuriken won't work on me." Zabuza stated.

Using his great speed, Sasuke leapt into the air and flipped, hurling the shuriken downwards. Zabuza's water clone looked up, and was surprised to see the shuriken fly right past him.

"I see. So you're going after the real one this time. But it's too easy for me!" he shouted, catching the shuriken in his free hand. Out of nowhere, it seemed, another one appeared, flying towards him. And he had nothing to catch it with.

But he still jumped and dodged it.

Sasuke smirked.

The shuriken transformed into Naruto, holding a kunai. Spinning around in the air, he shouted, "This is for Hikari! EAT THIS!!!"

The shuriken flew straight at Zabuza. It grazed the side of his face.

But that was only because he had drawn back… and that meant Kakashi was free.

XXX

**Author's Note: Alright, I hope you liked this chapter! By the way, NO Hikari is not _dead_****It would be rather stupid of me if I killed off my own character, don't you think? So relax. :) **

**Fate **


	7. A Battle Ended In Worry

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or 'Four Seasons' by Namie Amuro. **

XXX

_'Haru no hikari atsumetara hana sakasete, _

_Natsu wa tsuki ukabu umi de mitsumete, _

_Aki no kaze fuyu no yuki mo, _

_Sono toiki de atatamete hoshii, _

_Four seasons with your love, _

_Mou ichi do.' _

**_-Namie Amuro, 'Four Seasons.' _**

XXX

"You damn kid!" Zabuza roared as he twirled the large shuriken. He aimed to hurl it at Naruto, but a force on the shuriken stopped him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried in relief.

Naruto's head popped out of the water and he let out a relieved sigh.

"Naruto, your plan was impressive." Kakashi complimented. "You have all sure grown." Slowly, he turned his head to look at the limp figure of his student on the ground. "Is she…?"

Sakura's lower lip quivered slightly, her emerald eyes filling up with tears. One slipped down her cheek. "I… She's lost a lot of blood…"

Kakashi grunted and muttered hoarsely, "Take care of her."

Sakura nodded numbly as she pulled out a cloth to place on the back of Hikari's head.

Kakashi turned to Zabuza and fixed his Sharingan on him menacingly. "You…"

Zabuza chuckled. "What's the matter? Can't handle it? You are pitiful… and now, what will you do?" Unmoving, the two Jounin fixed a deadly glare on the other.

"Sakura, don't let your guard down. Our job is to protect Tazuna." Sasuke said, motioning for her to get up and guard Tazuna in a basic defensive stance.

Sakura bit her lip and stared down at Hikari. She wanted to make sure she didn't lose anymore blood, but her job was to protect Tazuna. However, just then, she remembered a conversation they'd had a while ago, during a training session.

_'Say, Sakura?' _

_'Yeah?' _

_'If you could do one thing, anything at all, what would it be? Oh, and marrying Sasuke doesn't count.' _

_'Hikari!!!' _

_'Hehe.' _

_'Well, since you said marrying Sasuke doesn't count, I'd… uh… Oh! I know! I'd get strong!' _

_'Get strong? Why?' _

_'…So I could beat Ino.' _

_'…Really?' _

_'Yeah. I'm tired of losing to her. I want to beat her, for once, so I can show her I'm not as pathetic as she makes me out to be.' _

_'Hm… Hey! I know! Why don't I help you get stronger?' _

_'Seriously?' _

_'Yeah! When we train, I'll be your sparring partner, and I'll help you get strong. This way, you could prove yourself. And, you could use your strength to protect your team as well. I'd do the same for you guys.' _

_'You know, that doesn't sound too bad. Okay!' _

_'Great! And hey, when you are stronger, people will depend on you for protection. When it's your job to protect someone, do it with all you've got. No matter what, okay?' _

_'You bet, Hikari!' _

Sakura smiled a little as more tears ran down her face. _'I will protect them… for you.'_ Slowly, determination strong in her eyes, Sakura stood up and walked next to Sasuke, in front of Tazuna. She pulled out a kunai and held it in front of her, in the basic defensive stance. Quietly, to herself, she murmured, "I'm not going to let Hikari down. I promise."

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Zabuza still had each other in a death glare. Until Zabuza's eye twitched.

Swiftly, he folded the blades of the shuriken back into place, pressing all four of them down on Kakashi's fist. Grunting with effort, Kakashi knocked it out of Zabuza's grip.

Quickly, both Jounin jumped back from each other. Each of them landed on the water's surface as Zabuza performed a hand seal. Kakashi's Sharingan eye widened, the iris and pupil shrinking.

"Sharingan…"

Zabuza began to form hand signs at a rapid pace. "Ushi, Saru, U, Ne, I, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Tori, Ne, Tora, Inu, Tora, Mi, Ushi, Hitsuji, Mi, I, Hitsuji, Ne."

Kakashi matched him, hand seal for hand seal. "Ushi, Saru, U, Ne, I, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Tori, Ne, Tora, Inu, Tora, Mi, Ushi, Hitsuji, Mi, I, Hitsuji, Ne."

After that, they began to speak simultaneously. "Jin, Saru, Tori, Tatsu, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Hitsuji, Tora, Mi, Ne, Saru, U, I, Tatsu, Hitsuji, Ne, Ushi, Saru, Tori, Jin, Ne, I."

"Tori! Suiton Suriyuudon no Jutsu!" (Water Element: Water Dragon Bullet)

The water underneath their feet began to ripple heavily. Slowly, two humongous shapes rose from the water and formed into dragons. With lightning speed, the Water Dragons raced at each other and connected, sending water gushing down on everybody.

Naruto shouted as a giant wave swept him up and crashed down on him.

As another giant wave made its way towards Sakura, Sasuke, Tazuna, and Hikari, Sakura mentally cursed as she grabbed Hikari and slung her cold arm over her shoulder. The wave crashed into them swiftly, and Sakura fell backwards and under the water, holding Hikari above it as best she could.

The Water Dragons continued to clash, seeming to bite at each other, sending small rivulets of water splashing onto the ground.

Sakura coughed as the wave soaked into the ground, having gotten a large amount of water up her nose.

"Hehe… Can't swim, Sakura?" a weak, croaky voice teased. Sakura gasped, eyes wide.

Apparently, a large douse of water was all Hikari needed, for she was looking up at Sakura with barely open eyes. Sakura grinned, tears of relief running down her face. "Hikari! Sasuke, Hikari's awake!" she cried joyfully.

Sasuke grunted as Tazuna stared at the young girl on the ground in what seemed to be awe. "Can she stand?"

Hikari groaned, gripping the back of her head tightly. She winced at the shooting pain. "I… doubt it. My head is… oh, you moron."

That earned her a glare.

At that moment, Naruto's head popped out of the water, a shocked expression on his face. Kakashi and Zabuza were fighting to keep the other away, Zabuza with his sword, and Kakashi with a kunai.

_'Something's weird… What's going on?' _Zabuza wondered. _'Sharingan is supposed to be an ability where the user memorizes the opponent's technique and copies it. But… The technique was executed at the same time. Did he…' _

Silently, a figure watched from above, concealed in a tree.

_'This guy…!' _

Swiftly, both Kakashi and Zabuza jumped back at the same time again. When they landed, both of them ran around in a half circle, each of their steps matching, and they stopped at the same time. Zabuza raised his arm in the Mist Concealment seal… and Kakashi did the same. Zabuza's eyes widened.

"He's moving just like him!" Tazuna exclaimed, obviously shocked as well. "And with such perfect timing.

Hikari nodded, then winced. "It's almost as if… he can predict what Zabuza is going to do."

Sakura looked up at Sasuke, a questioning expression on her face. "What's going on, Sasuke?"

Sasuke remained silent.

Zabuza watched Kakashi warily. _'This guy… My movement is being perfectly…' _

"…Predicted by him." Kakashi finished aloud.

_'What? He read what I was going to say in my mind? Damn it, this guy…' _

"…Has such unpleasant eyes, right?"

Zabuza let out an accidental gasp, but then brushed it off. "What you're doing is just copying. Nothing original."

Then, simultaneously-

"You can't beat me, you monkey!"

A burst of clear, ringing laughter coming from the shore averted the two ninjas' attention. There, gripping the back of her bloody head, was Hikari. She was shaking with laughter.

"You- you call that an insult? Ha! I would have expected better from the Demon of the Mist!" she exclaimed, laughing even harder.

Zabuza's eyes widened. _'What? That brat's alive? I was sure I'd killed her…'_ He turned a menacing gaze to Kakashi. "I'll make it so you never open that copycat mouth of yours again!" he growled, performing hand seals rapidly.

But by the time he had finished performing hand seals, a hazy figure appeared behind Kakashi.

_'That's…' _

The figure became clear.

_'Me? That can't be. Is he using a genjutsu?' _

Kakashi spoke. "Suiton Daibakufu no Jutsu!" (Water Element: Grand Waterfall) Suddenly, the tomoe in Kakashi's Sharingan began to spin rapidly.

"Wha…What?"

The water before Kakashi began to swirl like a whirlpool and rise. The water formed a sphere and then zoomed towards Zabuza, dragging him under the swirling liquid.

_'I was the one who tried to execute the technique, but I couldn't…' _

The water containing Zabuza sped onto land, eroding the ground and demolishing countless trees.

_'…Keep up with his technique!' _

The water resembled the shape of a far off comet now, continuing to crash by. Rocks and boulders were smashed and flung aside by the sheer power of it. Grunting with effort, Sasuke, Sakura, Hikari, and Tazuna tried to remain standing as the water whipped by them, splashing upon them ruthlessly.

Naruto, who had still not yet gotten out of the lake, was tossed back and forth by the waves created by Kakashi's jutsu. Seeing an opportunity, as one giant wave crashed onto land, Naruto grabbed hold of the branch of a fallen tree.

The speeding swirl of water connected with a tree, slamming Zabuza up against it. His head slumped from the impact. Four kunai sped towards him and hit their mark, causing him to grunt in pain. In a tree branch above him, Kakashi was kneeling.

"This is the end." he said once more. Slowly, the water receded.

Zabuza glanced upwards behind him. "Why…? Can you see the future?"

Kakashi slowly brought up a kunai. "Yeah. You're going to die."

Seemingly out of nowhere, to tiny, slender objects whizzed by in the air. They struck Zabuza and caused his head to whip to the side as blood was spilt. The group gasped, all of their eyes wide in horror.

As Zabuza's body hit the ground, a voice spoke. "It was true. He did die."

Naruto, finally having pulled himself out of the water, looked up at the person who had spoken. Their long hair blew in the breeze, and they were masked.

Kakashi jumped out of his own tree and landed beside Zabuza's body. For a few moments, he felt for a pulse.

"He really _is _dead." he announced, sounding shocked. He looked up to the masked figure in the tree. The person bowed their head.

"Thank you very much. I was looking for a chance to kill Zabuza."

"That mask…" Kakashi said thoughtfully. "If I remember correctly, you must be a hunter-nin from the Hidden Village of the Mist."

The person raised their head. "You are very well informed."

"A hunter-nin?" Naruto questioned, sounding a bit angry.

"You don't even know what a hunter-nin is?" Sakura asked incredulously. "You should have learned it in the academy. Hunter-nins are those who assassinate exiled ninja like Zabuza who, for some reason, go against the village they were born in."

"So, it's like an execution? You know, for becoming a traitor?" Hikari asked.

"Well, I'm not sure about that. Maybe. But it's mostly to protect the secrets of their village." Sakura said. She turned to Naruto and reprimanded him for not paying attention during class.

"Yes," the masked person said. "I am a member of the pursuing ninja unit that hunts exiled ninja."

_'From his height and voice, he must not be that different from Naruto and the others.' _Kakashi concluded. _'Yet, he is a hunter-nin. He's no ordinary kid.' _

Naruto ran up to the tree and glared angrily at the masked person. After a few moments, he shouted, "Who the hell are you?!"

Tazuna and the others seemed to be shocked by his outburst. Cautiously, and still clutching the back of her head, Hikari walked up to him. "Naruto…"

"Who are you?!" he screamed once more, ignoring his teammate.

"Calm down, Naruto." Kakashi ordered. "He is not an enemy."

"That's not what I'm asking! But… _Zabuza _was killed! He… He was so strong, but he was killed so easily by a kid that's no different from me! We… We look like idiots!"

"Naruto!" Hikari shouted, shocked at his description of them. "How can you say that about your teammates? Zabuza tried to kill all of us, and just because _we _couldn't murder him in cold blood, that makes us idiots?" Hikari bit out, tears streaming down her face. She hated being so rude, but Naruto was just as wrong to say that as she was.

Naruto's eyes widened. "No, it just… I can't accept this!"

Kakashi walked up to Naruto. "I understand how you can't believe it. But this is real." Naruto grunted as Kakashi clapped a hand to his head. "In this world, there are kids who are younger than you… and stronger than me."

Wordlessly, the boy disappeared from the tree and reappeared beside Zabuza. He lifted Zabuza's arm onto his shoulder and said, "Your battle ends here for now. I must go dispose of this corpse. It's a body filled with secrets. If you'll excuse me." A wind picked up and surrounded the boy and Zabuza with leaves. And then, the wind disappeared, and so did they.

"He's gone…" Naruto murmured. He turned and ran to stand before the tree, staring at it.

"He's not around here anymore." Kakashi informed him.

Naruto sunk to his knees and began to repeatedly punch the ground. "What was that?! What were we…?!"

"Naruto…" Sakura murmured, staring at her teammate. Hikari heard her, and she slowly turned to look at her, tears running slowly down her cheeks.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Naruto screamed, still punching the ground. Kakashi grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Things like this happen when you are a ninja. If you don't like it, make it up next time." He released Naruto's arm, and was relieved when Naruto didn't aim blows at the ground anymore. Turning, he faced the others. "Our mission hasn't ended yet. We need to take Tazuna-san to his house."

Tazuna tilted his hat and laughed. "Sorry about that, everyone!"

"Kakashi-sensei, what about Hikari's head?" Sakura asked, worry creeping into her voice. Hikari started, slanting her gaze upwards. Slowly, she drew back her hand and looked at it. Crimson trails ran down it, some dripping to taint the grass below them.

"It's okay." she whispered. "I… don't think it's bleeding anymore. Not much, at least."

"Hey, you can all rest up at my house!" Tazuna said. Hikari smiled.

"All right. Let's cheer up and go." Kakashi said. However, he had only taken a few steps before his only visible eye widened eerily. Then, to everybody's horror, he slowly collapsed.

"What? What happened?!" Sakura shouted, her and the others running to Kakashi's fallen form.

"Kakashi-sensei…?" Naruto called. He didn't respond.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!"

XXX

**Author's Note: Another chapter finished. Hehe, I would have put it up sooner, but Alicia came over and went on onemanga dot com with me, cause someone told her a new chapter of the Naruto manga was on there. It was kind of funny, cause when we saw the title of the chapter, I said, 'What the fuck?' and Alicia screamed. I thought she was going to either cry or kill someone. At least, until she read the whole chapter. **

**God, I have psycho friends. Oh well, that's my life for you. :D Review please! **

**Fate **


	8. Team Seven's Training Session

**I don't own Naruto or 'No One' by Aly & AJ. **

XXX

_'And you ask yourself, _

_Who do I wanna be? _

_Do I wanna throw away the key, and invent a whole new me? _

_Gotta tell yourself, _

_No one, _

_No one. _

_Don't wanna be no one, _

_But me.' _

_**-Aly & AJ, 'No One.' **_

XXX

(A/N: Hikari's point of view.)

I sighed softly as I watched my team, currently all sitting on the floor. We had all gotten to Tazuna's house safely, but Kakashi was still unconscious. At least he was alive, though. He had been placed in a separate room of the house, and Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and I were sharing a room.

I groaned and winced slightly as a dull pulsing began in the back of my head. I knew there was something I had forgotten. I crawled over to my small white backpack and flipped open the clasp holding closed. After digging around at the bottom for a few moments, my hand landed on something soft. I smiled in relief as I pulled out a roll of bandages.

"It still hurts pretty badly, huh?" Sakura asked, looking up at me. She was holding a green sleeping bag, still rolled up. I shrugged.

"Idiot." I heard a monotone voice say. "You should have wrapped that thing up earlier."

I rolled my eyes and glared at Sasuke. "If by 'that thing,' you mean my wound, then yes, I agree. Agreements aside… Bite me." I heard a snort of amusement come from Naruto, who was wearing his silly nightcap on his head.

I looked at Sakura and cocked an eyebrow teasingly. "What _do _you see in him?"

Sakura's eyes widened, resembling saucers, and she blushed deeply. "Hikari!" she whispered shrilly, glancing frantically at Sasuke. He didn't seem to care, for he was leaning against the wall, hands behind his head. He wasn't even looking at her. What a jerk.

_'Oh well… Who said this was going to be easy? After all, changing the past and future is hard work.' _

"Oh…" I grumbled as I had trouble tying up the bandage. My fingers fumbled, making the bandage continuously slip through them.

Sakura smiled and crawled over to me. "Here, I'll help." she offered kindly, taking the ends of the bandage. "Oh, the reason you're having trouble with the bandage is because you wrapped it up wrong…" Sakura informed me. I smiled, because I did that on purpose. Sakura unraveled the bandages and began to rewrap them correctly. She was obviously doing it right, because the bandages felt more comfortable, but they were still firmly in place.

"Hey Sakura, you're good at this." I remarked, smiling. Sakura grinned proudly.

"Thanks. I used to play nurse when I was younger. My mom used to joke about how I would try to bandage anything that breathed." she said, a faint pink tint to her cheeks.

I shrugged. "Well, who knows? Maybe you could be a medic-nin when you grow up. I'm sure you'd be great at it, and you could help lots of people." I saw Sakura sit down in front of me, a thoughtful look on her face.

"You know, that sounds kind of cool…"

"Hey, Sakura-chan, you would be the best in the village, I'm sure! You're so smart and pretty!" Naruto exclaimed, popping up at Sakura's side seemingly out of nowhere. I saw Sakura's eyes bug, and she grimaced at their close proximity. I looked at her warningly as she opened her mouth to say something rude. She caught my eye and nodded slightly.

"Er… Thanks, Naruto…" she muttered, while Naruto grinned. I smiled. Sakura looked hopefully at Sasuke. "What about you, Sasuke? Do you think I'd make a good medic?"

He scoffed slightly. "Doubt it." he murmured scathingly. Sakura's cheery smile disappeared, and she bowed her head down.

"Oh…"

I don't believe it. She would listen to him about her future?! Oh Lord, if he told her to go drown herself, I'm sure she'd say, 'Lake or sea?' Forget this.

I stood up and walked right up to him, angry as Sakura could be at times. And then, I did the only thing I could do at the moment.

I smacked him upside the head. "Stop being such a jackass."

Naruto fell backwards as he roared with laughter. Sakura stared, her mouth in a small 'O.' I used my powers to tell what Inner Sakura was doing. I could hear her shouting.

**'CHA! How dare she hit my Sasuke!' **

I smiled, walking back over to Sakura and plopping down beside her. "Hey, he had it coming to him. Stand up for yourself once in a while!" I said encouragingly. Sakura merely blushed and bowed her head, but I thought I saw a thoughtful look on her face. Score.

I patted my bandages gently to make sure they were really on right, and then I dug around in my little bag for something else. Smiling, I pulled it out and looked at it, chuckling.

"Hey, you brought that thing with you?" Naruto asked, pointing at the object in my hands. I nodded.

"Yep. I just couldn't leave it home." I replied, my eyes scanning over the picture of our team. It was taken the day we became Genin. I almost laughed as Sakura and Naruto crawled to my side to peek over my shoulder at the picture.

Kakashi was behind us, smiling behind his mask, hunched over slightly so he could get in the picture. Then there was Sasuke, on the far right, looking as if the whole thing was a waste of his time. On the far left, Naruto was standing there, arms crossed and glaring at Sasuke. I chuckled.

In the center, there was me and Sakura. I had convinced her to pose for the camera with me. We were standing back to back, our arms crossed, big grins on our faces. We were trying to look audacious, but we wound up looking goofy and carefree, which I thought was better anyway.

I smiled once more as I remembered something else from that day. When we had gotten the pictures… Sakura had laughed when she saw them. My smile turned into a grin. Naruto had wanted to go back in time just to hear Sakura laugh… and now he had.

Later, as we all settled into our sleeping bags, I smiled once more (I was doing a lot of that lately.).

"Good night, Sakura, Naruto…" I peeked over at Sasuke. "…Grumpy."

He glared at me. I laughed.

"Only kidding. Good night, Sasuke." I giggled.

"Whatever." came the rude reply. Maybe I should just stick to 'Grumpy.'

"Good night, Sakura! Good night, Hikari." Naruto said. He glared at Sasuke, and Sasuke glared back. I stifled a chuckle.

"Good night, Hikari. Good night… Naruto." Sakura bit out after I had elbowed her from my position next to her. "Good night, Sasuke!" I rolled my eyes.

From his position on the other side of the room, I heard him mutter, "Annoying…"

The next second, me and Naruto had burst out in laughter, and were currently rolling around in our sleeping bags. Sasuke had bolted up in his sleeping bag, probably from the sudden uproar.

Of course, it also could have been because Sakura had just called him grumpy.

XXX

(A/N: Normal point of view.)

Hikari smirked slightly as she watched Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura each run up the trunk of a tree. Earlier that morning, Kakashi had woken up and given the team shocking news. It was that Zabuza might still be alive, and that they all had to train more as soon as possible.

But, it turns out Hikari was excluded from the activity due to the fact that she had mastered chakra control already, according to Kakashi. He had said that the ability to control and focus one's chakra to the point where they could make it a shield was most likely the highest amount of difficulty. Thus, since Hikari that mastered that, she had mastered chakra control.

Heh, Kakashi could hardly believe it.

So, while the others perfected their chakra control, hikari had to sit by and _watch_. Which, she didn't mind.

After a few steps up the tree, Naruto's foot slipped, and he crashed to the ground, landing on his head. He yelped and rolled around comically in the fetal position. Hikari snickered. Looking up, she saw that Sasuke and Sakura were still going.

But then, Sasuke's foot sunk partly into the trunk, and after swiftly marking the tree with his kunai, he flipped off it and landed safely on the ground. Hikari quirked an eyebrow. _'So soon?' _

Sasuke glared up at the tree. _'I didn't know that maintaining a constant amount of chakra was this difficult… If the chakra is too strong, I get repelled.' _He glanced over at Naruto, still whining and rolling on the ground. _'But if it's too weak, the absorption will not be generated, and it will end up like that.' _

Kakashi watched his students below from the tree he was in. _'I guess that's the difference between Sasuke and Naruto.' _A loud cheer from the ground drew his attention.

"Yeah, Sakura! I knew you'd do well at this!!!" Hikari cheered, jumping up and raising a fist in the air. Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi looked up and were all surprised to see Sakura sitting on a branch high up in the tree she was climbing.

"This is easier than I thought!" she exclaimed, sounding a bit proud.

"Wow, Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed, standing up and looking at her admiringly. Sakura giggled and poked her tongue out teasingly at her teammates.

"Well, who would have thought that the ones who are best at controlling their chakra are the girls, Sakura and Hikari." Kakashi noted.

"Wow, Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed once more. "That's something I expected from the girl I have high hopes for!" _'But it is a little annoying…' _

Sasuke looked away from Sakura and muttered, "Damn it." Sakura's face fell.

_'I wanted Sasuke to compliment me. Why does it always turn out like this?' _Sakura thought.

"Hey, Sakura! What's the matter with you? You should be proud of yourself!" Hikari shouted. "After all, you beat _Sasuke_!"

Insert glare here.

"Sakura, your knowledge of chakra was splendid, but your control and stamina are good as well. Have you been training lately?" Kakashi asked. Sakura nodded.

"Hikari and I have trained together a few times. She's helping me get better at fighting." Sakura said. Kakashi nodded approvingly.

"Well, keep it up then. Who knows? Maybe Naruto won't be the one to become Hokage after all. And I suppose the Uchiha clan isn't as great as I thought, either." Kakashi said.

"Shut up, sensei!" Sakura shout, pointing a finger at him accusingly. _'Sasuke's going to hate me now…'_

Kakashi watched as Sasuke and Naruto glared at each other. _'But, Sasuke and Naruto have an incredible amount of chakra that Sakura can't match. If this training goes well, they might be able to use their chakra just as effectively in battle as Hikari uses hers.' _

Hikari smiled as Naruto shouted that he was going to beat Sasuke at this. Glancing behind her, she noticed a small figure behind the tree she was leaning against. Slowly and soundlessly, she turned and peeked around the tree to see Inari, Tazuna's grandson, spying on them, his back to her.

"Psst." she hissed. She watched Inari jump and look behind him, a nervous expression on his face. Hikari merely smiled and waved. "Hi, Inari. What's up?"

Inari looked surprised for a moment, then glared at the ground. "Hmph. Your stupid training is pointless. You'll only wind up dead in the end."

Hikari smiled sadly. _'Inari… So young to have experienced and witnessed such a tragedy. But…' _

"Sometimes you have to sacrifice, it's true." Hikari murmured, slowly reaching up to grasp her bandages. "But in the end, it's worth the pain to know that…" Slowly, Hikari began to unwrap the bandages. "You've protected something important to you with all you've got." The bandages slowly fluttered to the forest floor, and Inari's eyes widened. Hikari smiled up at him and pointed to the back of her head. She knew the wound there had healed already, but nobody could see it because of her hair.

"Remember this morning? I had other bandages on, and they were kind of red, remember?" she asked softly. Inari nodded, remembering how he had heard his grandfather recounting the story of their journey. He had mentioned that one of the young girls had almost died.

"Well," Hikari went on. "I got the wound on the back of my head from protecting my teammates. And you know something? I'm proud of it!" Hikari grinned.

Inari stared at her for a few seconds before walking away. Hikari's words echoed in his head, _'But in the end, it's worth the pain to know that… You've protected something important to you with all you've got.' _

"Hmph." Inari grunted. "What does she know?"

XXX

"Hikari, are you sure this is okay? I mean, shouldn't you be resting?" Sakura asked as Hikari grinned.

"Nah, I'm good. Besides, you wanted me to help you get stronger, didn't you? So, let's train!" Hikari shouted. They had walked only a little bit away from the rest of the group, past some bushes. In fact, they could still see Sasuke and Naruto running up trees, advancing only slightly each time.

Sakura frowned slightly, but nodded. "Okay, so where do we start?"

Hikari nodded. "Okay, well… I noticed how you have better chakra control than Naruto and Sasuke, right?"

"Ah, I guess so…" Sakura mumbled, blushing and looking down at the ground modestly.

"Alright, well I have an idea on how we can use your skill with that to make you stronger. Now, first, I want you to attack me. You know, come at me with a punch." Hikari instructed. Sakura blanched.

"You want me to WHAT?!"

"Punch me as hard as you can."

"Why?!"

"Because. If you do it, then I can show you what I'm trying to teach you." Hikari reasoned. "Come on, Sakura. Just punch me as hard as you can."

"I-I, uh…" Sakura hesitated. Hikari sighed. _'There's only one way for me to get her to do this…' _

"Hey, Sakura! Sasuke asked me out on a date, and I said yes!"

Sakura's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in horror. Out of the corner of her eye, Hikari could see Naruto fall out of the tree and stare from Sasuke to Hikari and back again. Sasuke lost his footing and landed on the ground as well, and was currently glaring daggers, kunai, shuriken, and possibly exploding tags at Hikari.

Sakura's expression of shock turned to one of anger, and with a growl, she launched herself at Hikari. Much to her surprise, in the blink of an eye, Sakura found herself on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Hikari was grasping the fist of the arm Sakura had been aiming to punch her with.

"Man, I knew you would fall for that." Hikari giggled and winked. Sakura's eyes widened.

"You mean… that was a trick? You just said that to get me to punch you?" Sakura asked, dazed.

"Of course." Hikari replied. Quick as a flash, she had gone to Sasuke's side and grabbed him in a headlock. "I mean, come on. Like I'd be interested in this guy." Hikari laughed, giving him a noogie (A/N: You know, where you rub your knuckles on the top of someone's head.). Then, she was by Sakura's side again, helping her up off the ground.

"Now, you see what I did using chakra control?" Hikari asked her pink haired friend. Sakura stared for a few seconds before slowly shaking her head. Hikari sighed lightly.

"Alright, well first I focused chakra to a certain point of my body- my hand." Hikari said, holding up her hand surrounded by her golden chakra. "Then, using my strengthened hand, I grabbed my opponent's fist," Hikari grabbed Sakura's fist. "And I used the strength of my chakra-infused hand to flip my opponent," Hikari swung Sakura up with ease, and her fellow kunoichi shrieked. "And then I slammed her into the ground."

Sakura grunted as she landed on the ground- surprisingly on her feet. Then, she smirked.

Hikari blanched. "Uh-oh…"

Sakura quickly grasped Hikari's wrist with her free hand- which was surrounded by a green chakra. Grunting, Sakura swung Hikari up and then tossed her- yes, _tossed her_, right past the bushes and over by the rest of the team.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi looked from the raven haired girl on the ground, to the pink haired girl a few yards away, looking thoroughly shocked at her own actions. Sakura was staring down at her hand, still glowing with her green chakra.

_'I… I did that? And it was so easy… Wow…' _Sakura thought dazedly. A coughing sound drew her out of her thoughts.

"Wow…" Hikari mumbled. "Now _that _was excellent chakra control! You rock, Sakura!" Hikari shouted, giving her a thumbs up. Slowly, a large grin began to make its way onto Sakura's face. Then, she did something that made Hikari grin as well.

She laughed.

Naruto grinned as well. "Yeah, Hikari's right, Sakura! That was AWESOME!!!"

Sakura continued to laugh, her cheeks now tinted pink.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Tch. Annoying." he mumbled.

"Aw, Sasuke, don't be jealous! Maybe _you _could ask _Sakura _to give you some tips." Hikari teased, giving him another noogie. Oh, if looks could kill…

Sakura laughed even harder, her cheeks now a deep red. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt so happy… or _confident. _Kakashi was seemingly smiling approvingly behind his mask, Naruto and Hikari were grinning proudly at her, and even Sasuke was glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Her laughter dying down, Sakura turned a grateful gaze to her golden eyed friend.

_'… Thank you, Hikari.' _

XXX

**Author's Note: Another chapter done! I hope you guys liked it. I would have had it up sooner, but I was grounded for mouthing off at my parents… Oopsie. :D Well, anyway, review please! **

**Fate **


	9. New Strength And Old Faces

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'Colors of the Wind,' sung by Vanessa Williams. **

XXX

_'How high does the sycamore grow? _

_If you cut it down, then you'll never know. _

_And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon, _

_For whether we are white or copper-skinned. _

_We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain, _

_We need to paint with all the colors of the wind. _

_You can own the earth and still, all you'll own is earth until, _

_You can paint with all the colors of… _

_…The wind.' _

_**-Vanessa Williams, 'Colors of the Wind.' **_

XXX

"I can't do it, Hikari!" Sakura protested in despair, sniffling a bit. Hikari snorted.

"Bullshit. You're doing great, Sakura! Better than Naruto and Sasuke, that's for sure!" Hikari exclaimed, which earned her a glare and an indignant, 'Hey!' from a few yards over. She ignored them.

"But… it's hard. Kakashi was right, developing your chakra control to the point where you can make a shield of chakra is-"

"Difficult and hard work." Hikari finished for Sakura. "True, but I believe you have the potential to develop the Suishoku Shield. (A/N: I believe that means Emerald Shield. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) All you need is practice."

"Hikari, she's been trying to produce a shield for the past hour. She's too weak to do it." a harsh voice said.

"Don't really need your commentary at the moment, Sasuke. Go fall out of a tree or something." Hikari quipped, waving her hand. Turning back to her pink haired friend sitting solemnly on the ground, she smiled. "I know it's hard. But it's worth it, you know?"

Slowly, Sakura looked up at her with pleading eyes. "Help me. It's just so hard… I- I can't center myself."

Hikari smiled. "Here, stand up." she said, offering Sakura a hand. Sakura took it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "Alright, now watch this. I want you to notice my expression, my posture, and what happens afterwards." Hikari instructed. Sakura nodded and stepped away slightly, watching intently. Even Naruto and Sasuke had stopped their tree climbing to look, mildly curious.

Slowly, Hikari took a deep breath and raised her arms to her sides, letting them stick out perfectly straight. She closed her eyes, and everything was eerily silent for a few moments. A soft breeze began to blow, and Sakura and Hikari's hair rippled around them, lightly moving upon their shoulders. Hikari's body, Sakura noted, was perfectly relaxed, not the slightest bit stiff. Her facial expression was a serene one, and had she been lying down, one might have thought she was sleeping. Then, slowly, Sakura realized what Hikari was trying to show her.

It started at her head, making it seem as if someone was shining a soft, golden light down upon Hikari. A faint gold glow outlined her head, and then it slowly spread downward to her neck, then shoulders. Within moments, Hikari's whole upper body was surrounded by her gold chakra, which was slowly increasing in brightness. Then, it moved downward across her legs, ankles, and then at her feet, stopping there. By then, the brightness of her chakra had increased to the point where Sakura had to shield her eyes with her hands.

_'It's so bright… Like the light from the sun, or the stars.' _she thought, completely mesmerized.

Then, the glow of the chakra began to fade, only to the point where the others could see Hikari, and it wasn't so bright that it was almost blinding.

Hikari grinned and pointed to herself. "Check it out, I'm a light bulb."

Sakura and Naruto laughed. And oddly enough, the corner of Sasuke's lips twitched slightly, but Hikari was the only one who noticed. Hikari looked back to Sakura.

"Now you see that? I want you to focus your chakra to every point of your body. Once you do that, begin to focus all that chakra to your arms. Then, to the palms of your hands and nowhere else. Once you reach that point, then the chakra will be too much for your hands to hold, and it will spread out. As soon as it does that on its own, you have to force it out. Of course, you won't master this in one day, but you should get a fairly good start." Hikari reassured her fellow kunoichi, who nodded.

"O-Okay… I guess I'll try it." Sakura murmured, a little nervously. Drawing a deep breath, Sakura spread her arms out at her sides and tried to focus on spreading chakra throughout her body, starting at her head.

"Relax, Sakura. Your shoulders are stiff." Hikari said. Sakura slowly realized that she had indeed hunched up her shoulders slightly, and tried to relax, letting them drop slightly. She took deep breaths and tried to regain her concentration. She was vaguely aware of the warm breeze, and the light of the sun soothingly caressing her cheek. The fact that she had noticed those small things relaxed Sakura though, and a small smile unconsciously graced her lips.

Hikari smiled and watched as a faint emerald colored glow began to surround Sakura's head. _'She's catching on quicker than I thought she would… No wonder…' _Hikari idly thought. She blinked in surprise when Sakura immediately began to focus the chakra into the palms of her hands, rather than letting it spread through her body first like she had suggested.

She was completely floored when she saw the smallest flicker of chakra spread out from Sakura's hands.

"Holy…" Hikari muttered, golden eyes wide with excitement as the emerald colored chakra began to spread even more, now roughly the size of a plate. An idea sparked in her mind.

"Sakura, maintain the Suishoku Shield; I want to test something." Hikari called out. Sakura's eyes snapped open, as if she were startled out of a daydream, and then a wide grin broke out over her face. She had obviously noticed the small amount of the chakra in front of her hands.

"Okay, Hikari!"

Hikari nodded slightly and picked up a small, flat rock. Taking it firmly in her hand, she pulled her arm back and said, "Okay, now I'm going to toss this rock at you. If you can, try to block it with your shield." After earning a small nod from Sakura, Hikari swung her arm forward and let the rock fly.

Sakura nervously bit her lip and held her glowing green hand in front of her. _'It's going to work, it's going to work, it's going to work…' _she mentally chanted. And, for the moment, she believed that.

At least, until the wind blew her hair in front of her face.

"CRAP!!!" Sakura exclaimed, dispelling what little of the Suishoku Shield she had created to brush her hair out of the way. She couldn't very well dodge something if she couldn't see. Unfortunately for her, the rock she was supposed to dodge and hit its mark, scraping its edge across the flesh of her arm.

"Ouch!" Sakura yelped, clutching her arm. Craning her head to look at it, she bit her lip as a trickle of crimson liquid slid down past her elbow.

Hikari let out a short gasp as she noticed the droplets of blood hitting the forest floor. "Sakura! Are you alright?" she asked, running to her friend. Sakura nodded.

"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing big. Hey, did I do okay?" she asked anxiously. Hikari blinked a few times before breaking out in a grin.

"Sakura, you were awesome!"

XXX

(A/N: Hikari's point of view.)

I sighed softly, walking down the path towards the forest where I was absolutely positive Naruto and Sasuke were still training. It was well into sunset, the sun just barely peeking out beyond the horizon. I quickened my pace, for it would be dark soon. Even if Naruto and Sasuke were with me, it wouldn't be wise to travel in the dark. Not even Naruto was dumb enough to do that.

I let out another soft sigh as I continued walking, scanning the area for my teammates or anything out of the ordinary. A flash of bright pink in the trees caught my eye, and for a moment I thought Sakura had tagged along. I smiled when I realized that there were gorgeous flowers on the ends of the tree branches- all in full bloom. _'Um, I can pick some on the way back. I'll have to remember they're here…' _

Just then, I heard shouting coming from nearby. Hm, I guess I found them…

"Sasuke! Naruto!" I called out. Two thuds and a string of expletives told me I had caused both boys to fall out of their trees. I giggled and ran over to the clearing we had trained at and saw Sasuke and Naruto on the ground, bruised and dirty. The both looked extremely pissed.

"What do you want?" Sasuke snapped. I raised my eyebrows.

"I came to tell you idiots that dinner is ready." I hissed, a smirk on my face. Naruto was up and out of the clearing in two seconds flat. I chuckled, but as I made to go, I looked back at Sasuke. He hadn't moved. I walked over to him and leaned over slightly.

"Need a hand?" I asked, offering my own to him. He scoffed and stood up, ignoring me completely.

Frigid bastard.

I sighed and quickly walked to catch up with him. Once I did, I brushed past him, knocking him aside with my shoulder. Once I was reasonably sure he was giving me a death glare. I smiled and looked back.

"Gee Sasuke, for a prodigy, you sure can be stupid. When will you learn that there are some things that you can not do yourself?"

Judging by his silence, I was sure he had no answer for that.

XXX

(A/N: Normal point of view.)

Hikari sighed softly as she lay in her sleeping bag. She just couldn't sleep. In truth, she was worried about Naruto. Earlier after dinner, he had gone out and had yet to return. She hoped he wasn't injured.

As her trail of thoughts focused on injuries, Hikari found herself turning to look at the pink haired girl in the sleeping bag next to her. If she squinted, in the dark, Hikari could see a thin, red line on Sakura's arm, where she had been cut with the rock. Curiosity bubbled up inside Hikari as she remembered what had happened after Sakura had been cut with the rock.

She had promptly sat down on the ground and begun to fix her hair. Sakura had made sure it was flipped over her shoulders and smooth. After finger combing it and re-adjusting her forehead protector, Sakura had finally asked for a band-aid for her arm.

Hikari thought that was odd.

"Hey, Sakura?" Hikari asked, whispering. Her pink haired friend stirred in her sleeping bag and sat up.

"Nani, Hikari?" she asked. Hikari looked at her curiously.

"Well, it's just… Today during our training, you got cut because your hair blocked your vision. I was just wondering… Why did you grow it so long?"

Sakura glanced over at the raven haired boy in his sleeping bag, still awake. He seemed to be aware of her gaze, because he turned his head and his eyes met hers. Sakura blushed and looked away, then motioned for Hikari to scoot closer. Hikari obeyed, and Sakura cupped a hand over her ear and whispered.

"I… Well you see, a long time ago I heard a rumor that Sasuke liked girls with really long hair. So, I spent a lot of time and effort into growing my hair longer, and making it beautiful. It's… all this effort with my looks is just for him. I… I want him to think I'm… beautiful."

Sakura sat back and watched Hikari. Her eyes were the size of saucers, and there was the biggest grin on her face Sakura had ever seen.

"That is so cute!" Hikari squealed, causing Sakura to blush the color of a cherry. "That's really something, changing your looks for a guy. You must really like him."

Sakura blushed even more and mumbled something, thinking Hikari wouldn't catch it. She did though, and her grin became even wider.

A few minutes later, Sakura and Hikari settled back down into their sleeping bags.

"Remember Hikari, don't tell anyone." Sakura whispered. "Not even Sasuke."

Hikari nodded. "My lips are sealed."

Little did they know, the young Uchiha across the room had actually heard every word.

XXX

"Naruto didn't come in last night _again_?" Hikari asked increaduously. She had just walked into the kitchen to hear Tazuna and Sakura discussing said blonde boy. She had stopped short in the doorway in shock.

Sakura raised a hand and said, "He may have already used too much chakra and died by now…"

Hikari raised her arms and let out a groan, "Christ Almighty…"

"I hope Naruto's all right. A child all alone in the woods overnight…" Tsunami murmured, (A/N: I think that's her name.) setting a bowl of food in front of Sakura and placing another one down for Hikari.

"Don't worry." Kakashi said. "He may not look it, but he's a true ninja."

"I don't know." Sasuke said, his face impassive as usual. "It wouldn't surprise me if that moron was dead."

Hearing this, Hikari, who had been walking by Sasuke's seat, stopped behind him and gave his raven hair a sharp tug. "For goodness sake, Sasuke, he's your teammate!" she chastised him, shaking his head back and forth. Behind his mask, Kakashi smiled at the golden eyed girl's audacity.

Tazuna chuckled as Hikari released Sasuke's hair and sat down at the table. "You girls these days. First Sakura beat up some crook at the food store," At this, Kakashi and Sasuke raised their eye brows, and Hikari grinned. "And now Hikari is pulling your hair, boy." Hikari's grin grew.

Sasuke scoffed and stood up.

"Sasuke…?" Sakura asked. He walked towards the door and stopped.

"Going for a walk." he answered her, and walked out the door. A few moments later, Hikari stood up.

"I'm going to go make sure he doesn't kill Naruto when he finds him." she said. Sakura blinked.

"He said he was going to for a walk. What makes you think he's going to find Naruto?"

Hikari paused in the doorway and grinned. "Because liars always give the shortest, vaguest answers possible."

XXX

Sasuke didn't comment as he heard Hikari's voice call out to him. Nor did he comment when she appeared at his side, looking like she had been running for a while.

"Idiot," she panted. "I've been trying to catch up to you for the past ten minutes!"

"…Hn."

Hikari glared at him for a moment before turning her attention ahead of her. A person was walking towards them. Hikari's eyes widened. _'That's…!' _

"…Something wrong?"

Hikari blinked and turned her head back to Sasuke, who was looking annoyed. She hadn't realized she'd stopped walking to look at the person who had just passed them.

"Uh… no. Nothing important." Hikari said, smiling. "Hey, look. It's Naruto!" she said, pointing to the blonde boy clad in orange. He was sitting on the ground, staring past them and muttering something to himself. Sasuke walked up to him and swiftly struck him on the head.

"Ouch!" he yelped, clutching his head. "Hey! What the hell?!"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "Did you forget about breakfast? Usuratonkachi."

Naruto blinked once before grinning and snickering mischievously.

Hikari laughed when Sasuke slightly cringed.

XXX

"Naruto!" Sakura called, walking through the forest with Kakashi. "What's he doing?"

"Oi! Sakura!" a cheerful voice called. She and Kakashi looked forward to see Hikari sitting against a tree trunk, smiling contentedly. She jerked her thumb upwards. "See for yourself."

Sakura and Kakashi looked up and blinked in surprise. Naruto was high up in the tree, lying down on one of the branches.

"No way! A guy like Naruto can already climb that high? Wow…" Sakura exclaimed in awe. Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

"What do you think?!" Naruto called. "Look how high I can climb now!" Naruto jumped up, and in his haste, lost his footing.

"Ah! Idiot!" Sakura shouted. Hikari gasped and screamed.

Naruto then flipped under the branch and remained there, using chakra to keep him attached to the tree.

"Just kidding! You fell for it! You fell for it!" he teased. Hikari growled.

"Damn it, Naruto! If you scare us like that again, I'm going stick you with a kunai somewhere it doesn't belong!!!" Hikari threatened. It was just then that Naruto really _did _lose his footing. Hikari's eyes widened. "CRAP!"

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Sasuke appeared, running up onto the branch and gripping Naruto firmly by the ankle.

"Usuratonkachi…"

As Naruto looked surprised and Sakura squealed about how cool Sasuke was, Hikari smiled. Letting out a sigh of relief, she fell back onto the grass and grinned up at her two teammates.

_'How curious…' _

XXX

That night, Sakura commented worriedly, "They sure are late! Naruto I can understand, but Sasuke too?"

"Mm, I'm sure they're fine, Sakura. No need to worry about them." Hikari reassured her. At that moment, the front door opened, and Sasuke and Naruto walked in, Sasuke helping Naruto along. Hikari raised her eyebrows, the corner of her lip beginning to turn up slightly.

"What's this?" Tazuna asked. "You're super dirty and worn out."

Naruto chuckled. "Both of us… made it to the top!" he announced proudly. Hikari's smile became a bit more visible, but she held it back for the right moment.

"Good." Kakashi said. "Naruto, Sasuke! Tomorrow, you'll protect Tazuna-san, too!" he announced. Naruto grinned, and there was what looked like the faintest of smiles on Sasuke's face.

"Yeah!" Naruto shouted in victory. When he raised a fist into the air, it threw off his balance, and Sasuke's as well. Both boys tumbled back onto the floor, landing with a thud.

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke said for the third time that day. Unable to control it any longer, Hikari let a large grin appear on her face as she began to shake with laughter.

And no sooner than she had begun to laugh, everyone else did too.

XXX

"Wh…What's this?!" Tazuna exclaimed. He, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, and Hikari had just arrived at the bridge…

…To find all the workers fallen on the ground.

"What happened?!"

_'Can it be…?' _

"AH-AIE!" the terrified shriek rang through the air, followed by spluttering, choking noises. Suddenly, a thick mist began to envelop the others.

"What the-? Sasuke, Sakura, Hikari!" Kakashi called. Two of the voices replied. The other was silent.

"HIKARI!"

Growling, Sasuke and Sakura pulled out their kunai, and Sakura murmured nervously, "He's got her…"

"Sorry for the wait… Kakashi…" a familiar, cold voice spoke. "Pity… Like last time, the girl just couldn't move fast enough. Isn't that right?" The voice chuckled, and more choking noises were heard, followed by gasping and a sharp cry of pain.

"And what do you know?" the voice spoke again once the cries and choking had died down. "He's shaking again, poor kid." the voice mocked.

In a flash, four Zabuza's surrounded the group. Sasuke smirked.

"I'm shaking… with excitement." he murmured. Kakashi turned and smiled.

"Get him, Sasuke."

With speed invisible to the naked eye, Sasuke moved, slashing each of the water clones one by one, and then landing in the same spot he had begun in.

_'…I can see it.' _

"Oh? He saw through the water clones. That brat has grown." Zabuza spoke. Looking to the side, the group saw Zabuza step into view. He was holding Hikari off the ground, by the neck.

"Y-You guys… Ah!" Hikari choked as Zabuza squeezed her neck tighter.

"Hikari!" Sakura shouted. Hikari managed to turn her head slightly, and she smiled faintly. Zabuza squeezed harder.

"Nn…" Hikari groaned in pain. At that point, she was not able to breathe at all. Swiftly, she brought up a kunai in front of Zabuza's face. Before he had the time to react at all, she had plunged it downward, embedding it deeply in Zabuza's arm. She screamed as some flecks of blood hit her face, and Zabuza dropped Hikari. Shuddering slightly, she ran back to her team, and when she reached them, she held up the bloody kunai.

"If you want to play hardball," She formed the Hikari Shield with one hand.

"Then you better believe we're not going to let you win."

XXX

**Author's Note: So! Zabuza's back, and he brought the she-man- Er, I mean, Haku! The battle is on! **

**Fate **


	10. Haku's Deadly Jutsu

**Author's Note: Ohayo, everybody! In this chapter, the battle on the bridge begins! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

XXX

"Oh, my… It looks like my thinking was right on the mark." Kakashi stated.

"Thinking?"

"That masked one…"

Sakura made a face. "Huh?!"

Sasuke scoffed. "As we thought."

"So… being a Hidden Mist hunter-nin was a complete lie?" Tazuna asked. Kakashi nodded.

"He's obviously Zabuza's comrade, standing next to him and all…"

Sakura looked angry. "How dare he show up after what he did…"

"Nobody likes guys that act cool like that…"

"Kakashi-sensei, he's better than you!"

"Oh…"

"…I'll fight him." Sasuke stated. Sakura looked at him questioningly. He narrowed his eyes. "Tricking us with that act… I hate bastards like that the most."

"Hm." Hikari murmured. "You're not going to do it yourself. That's too risky." Hikari looked back over her shoulder and grinned. "So I can help."

Sasuke scoffed slightly. "I don't want help." Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"But you'll need it." she stated plainly.

_'When will you learn that there are some things that you can not do yourself?' _

"…Hmph."

Hikari smiled and then looked towards Haku. "Bring it on."

Haku began to spin rapidly towards Sasuke, surprising him slightly.

"Sasuke, he's using senbon, I'm sure of it!" Hikari warned. Sasuke nodded and braced himself for the impact he was sure would come. Holding out his kunai in front of him, he heard the small ping of metal striking metal. Haku was in front of him, senbon needle in hand. He drew back his hand and then brought it forward once, twice, three, and four times. On the fifth time each drew back, they spun around twice, each of them connecting their weapons with each spin.

_'Sasuke is fast… They both are.' _Hikari noted. She bit her lip. Those two were moving too fast for a normal human eye to be able to see their movements. _'There's only one way I can keep up with them. It may not be a true doujutsu, but still…'_

Hikari's thought's trailed off as she stood up perfectly straight. She wasn't moving at all, not even blinking. Wincing slightly, she snapped her eyes shut. After she shook for a few moments, her eyes slowly opened. There was an odd, flat shine to them, and her pupils began to slowly dilate. To her, everything gradually became sharper and clearer. She could see the small specks of dust on the ground, and if she looked towards Haku and Sasuke, she could easily keep track of their movements.

Which is why she reacted quickly when Haku began to form hand seals rapidly with only one hand.

Pumping chakra into her hands and feet, she charged at Haku. Dropping down onto her hands, she aimed a swift kick at his masked face. She was satisfied when Haku grabbed her foot in an attempt to stop her kick.

"Trying to perform a one-handed jutsu? Well, sorry to disturb you." Hikari mocked. She felt the grip on her ankle tighten, but she remained in place. "Well, now you can forget your advantages. Sasuke!" she called.

"Right!" was the reply. Sasuke pulled out another kunai and moved his free hand to slash Haku with it. Haku quickly jumped away from the attack, releasing Hikari's ankle in the process.

Sasuke smirked and jumped into the air. He hurled down shuriken one after another, and Haku dodged each one, though just barely each time. By the time Haku had dodged the last one, when he looked back up, Sasuke was gone.

"You're pretty slow." came the menacing voice from behind him. _'That kid…!' _

"From now on, you'll only be able to run from my attacks." Sasuke mocked. Both shinobi spun quickly, and Sasuke aimed an attack at Haku with one arm.

Haku blocked the attack with both arms.

With his free hand, Sasuke flicked the kunai he held, forcing Haku to squat down to dodge it. Once he had, Sasuke aimed a quick kick to his masked face, sending Haku flying back at Zabuza's feet.

_'Haku lost in speed?' _

"Looks like I have the advantage and speed." Sasuke announced. Hikari smirked at his audacity.

"I can't have you underestimating my team by calling them names." Kakashi told Zabuza. "Sasuke is the Leaf Village's number one rookie. Sakura is the brightest in the village. Hikari is the most protective. And the other one is the number one, hyperactive, knuckle-head ninja, Naruto."

Hikari smiled at Kakashi's description of the team as she pulled out another kunai. Her smile disappeared when Zabuza began to chuckle.

"Haku, do you realize?" he asked. "At this rate, we'll be driven back."

"Yes." Haku agreed. As soon as the word left his lips, an icy blue colored chakra began to emit from him.

"What?" Sasuke muttered. Hikari's eyes widened.

_'Is this… No… No!' _

"Sasuke, get away from the water!" Hikari shouted. But it was too late. The water surrounding Sasuke began to rise and freeze over. Hikari suddenly realized what she was supposed to do. She turned her head back and looked at Sakura, a grim light twinkling in her eyes.

"Use your strength." was all she whispered before dashing forward before the water completely rose around Sasuke. She splashed through just as it completely froze.

"Secret Jutsu:" Haku murmured.

"Demonic Ice Mirrors!"

Hikari's expression hardened. "Kuso…" she murmured grimly, glancing around her at the sheets of ice. Haku stepped forward, and his body began to melt into one of the ice sheets. One by one, his image appeared in each of the ice sheets.

"These are… mirrors…" Sasuke murmured. "What in the…"

"Sasuke." Hikari's voice called to him. "Whatever you do, you must not let your guard down, do you understand?"

"But-"

"No. Don't argue, just listen for a sec. Look, there's no easy way to say this, but... I knew this was going to happen." Hikari stated.

"What?"

"I know. I- I don't have time to explain it right now. But just… Trust me, okay?" Hikari pleaded, turning her head to look at him. _'I swear, if he doesn't stop being an arrogant jerk right now, I am gonna…' _

"Alright." came the quiet agreement. Hikari let out a short sigh of relief. _'But it's not over yet.' _

"Well," came Haku's echoing voice. "Shall I begin? I'll show you my real speed."

Suddenly, the numerous Hakus pulled out two senbon each and began to fling them rapidly at the two shinobi below.

"Down!" Hikari shouted, grabbing Sasuke by his large shirt collar and flinging him onto the ground. She was about to turn and form the Hikari Shield when one needle streaked past her left shoulder. Another one flew by her ankle, and both hit the ground dangerously close to Sasuke, who was on his back. As he raised himself up on his elbows, Hikari shouted, "Don't move!!!" Reluctantly, he obeyed.

Hikari's eyes widened slightly, and she bit her lower lip. _'It's not going to happen again. Not if I have anything to do with it. But I won't let on, I won't…' _she thought, her face scrunching up. Sasuke looked at her, a semi-confused expression on his face. Hikari squeezed her eyes shut, and continued to do so tighter and tighter. She bit her lip even harder, causing it to turn slightly red._ 'No, don't let on… Don't… Don't-' _

"AAH!!!" Hikari shrieked in pain. The needles stopped flying, and Haku could be heard chuckling.

From outside Haku's jutsu, Kakashi, Tazuna, and Sakura stared wide eyed at the ice mirror prison. They had heard Hikari's scream.

Zabuza chuckled wickedly. "It looks like your little friend was serious when she said she would protect her friends. How foolish."

Hikari groaned and gripped her shoulder, wincing in pain. Behind her, something was dripping. Sasuke craned his neck to see, and his eyes widened a fraction.

_There was red liquid on the ground._

Slowly, Hikari turned around, her feet dragging on the ground. Then, she was standing with her back to Sasuke, and he saw the damage that had been done.

"Apparently, it's a good thing I didn't wear white." Hikari said, chuckling a little. Now Sasuke saw why she hadn't wanted him to move.

On the backs of her arms and legs, there were ugly crimson trails here and there. But her back looked the worst. Needles were scattered all over her back, some with blood dripping from their tips. Most of the needles were embedded into her flesh, but some were just snagged on her black shirt.

"Ah…" Hikari groaned, her hand slowly slipping from her shoulder. Her legs quivered for a few seconds, and then her knees buckled, sending her to the ground.

From her place outside of the ice mirrors, Sakura watched in horror as her friend hit the ground. _'No… No…' _

"Tazuna-san…"

Tazuna turned his head to look at the pink haired girl in front of him. He saw her hand slowly moving towards her kunai pouch. "What is it, Sakura?"

"I'm sorry… but I'm going to leave you for a moment." Sakura stated grimly. There was the slide of metal, and Sakura had pulled out a kunai.

"… Do what you must. Go!"

Sakura's brows furrowed, and she charged forward. _'Hikari… I will use my strength.'_

Sakura began to pump chakra into her feet, and she ran faster. Once she was at a safe enough distance, she pushed off the ground, launching herself high into the air.

"Take this!" she cried. She focused as much chakra into her hand as she could, and when it began to glow faintly green, she flung the kunai in her hands towards Hikari at top speed. Hikari looked up hopefully and outstretched her hand.

But another hand beat her to the kunai.

"He caught it?!" Sakura cried incredulously.

Haku stared down at Sasuke, obviously planning to use the kunai in his hand on the raven haired boy. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a shuriken whizzed by and struck Haku's mask, making his head snap to the side. Haku's body began to slide out of the ice mirror, and he lost his grip on the kunai as he crumpled to the ground. Then, there was a loud bang and a puff of smoke.

Slowly, Hikari rose to her feet, more small crimson droplets dotting the ground as she did so. As she shakily stood on her feet, a small grin graced her lips.

"Well what do you know…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. _'That idiotic, show-offy…' _

Haku slowly rose. _'Hyperactive, number one… knuckle-headed ninja…' _

The puff of smoke dispersed, and the person it had concealed grinned.

"Uzumaki Naruto… Has finally arrived!"

XXX

"Now that I'm here, everything will be fine." Naruto stated. A small chuckle came from Hikari, and Naruto turned his head to look at her, his eyes widening at her state.

"You know, for a second there, you sounded just as cocky as Sasuke… Naruto."

Sakura smiled in relief. "Naruto!"

Naruto's grin became even wider. "Now usually, in this type of situation in a story, the main character shows up and instantly kicks the enemy's ass!"

Zabuza looked back at the over-confidant boy. _'That brat, eh?' _

Sasuke simply looked irritated. _'You talk too much…' _

"Hmph, okay. Let's go!" Naruto cried. "Kage Bunshin no-"

Naruto was unable to finish his signature jutsu as shuriken were tossed towards him by Zabuza.

"Naruto! Move!"

A shock went through everyone's system as Haku flung his own senbon needles and stopped Zabuza's shuriken in mid-air.

"Nani?!" Zabuza demanded, his own shock as apparent as everyone else's.

"He's all right…" Sakura murmured, her expression one of relief. "Dammit, Naruto! What are you thinking?!"

It obviously changed.

"What idiot would use a jutsu right in front of the enemy? The true ninja art is trickery, to fool the opponent. Even for just one jutsu, you must confuse the opponent, sneaking up from behind to catch them off guard. With the way you appeared, it's like you just showed up to be a target!" Kakashi scolded. Naruto looked horrified.

"No way! I came to save…"

From Sasuke's position inside the ice mirror prison, he glared at Haku. _'That guy…'_ He began to walk forward when a gentle tug on his collar stopped him.

"No…" said Hikari. Her fingers were stained with blood, and for that she looked at him apologetically. "Not now…"

"Haku," Zabuza called. "What's the idea?"

Haku stood up straight. "Zabuza-san, this kid… Please let me fight him my way."

Naruto clenched his fists. "What?"

Zabuza stared at Haku in silence for a moment before closing his eyes. "So, you don't want me to interfere, Haku? You're soft as always…"

Haku bowed his head in what seemed to be shame. "I'm sorry."

_'Soft…?' _Sasuke thought.

"He's right, you know." Hikari stated from behind him. As Sasuke turned, he saw her reaching an arm over her shoulder. She grasped one of the slender objects embedded in her back and gave a sharp tug. The ripping of fabric and Hikari's groan was heard. She glanced over her shoulder.

"Damn, and I really liked this shirt… Oh well." she murmured. She turned and held up the needle for Sasuke to see. It was long and slender, the end of it coated in a bright red liquid and attached to a small piece of black fabric. "He's using only needles. And you know, these cuts aren't fatal, nor did he aim for a vital part of my body which could have been easily punctured. So really, I didn't need to shield you at all." Hikari pointed out. _'But I still did.' _

"So, he isn't trying to kill us…?"

Naruto scoffed. "Well then…" He pointed a finger at Haku. "I'll just have to defeat you first!" He thought for a moment, then said, "That mask… So you were Zabuza's friend. How dare you trick us?!"

Haku bowed his head. "Sorry, but as your sensei said, tricking your opponent is the true art of the shinobi. Don't hate me for it."

Sasuke growled slightly as he held up a kunai. Glancing over at Hikari to make sure she wasn't looking- she wasn't, she was trying to pull out the needles- Sasuke then tossed the kunai at Haku's head.

With ease, Haku tilted back his head and avoided the deadly weapon. Naruto's eyes widened, and he looked inside the ice mirror prison. _'He's in there, too?' _

"…I haven't forgotten about you." Haku stated. Hikari's head snapped towards Sasuke, and the bloody needles she was holding clattered to the ground. She walked over to Sasuke and grabbed his collar again, roughly shaking it this time.

"You idiot! I told you not to do that!" she shouted frantically.

Haku turned his head and looked at the two ninja he had trapped in his ice mirror prison jutsu. "I'd like it if you'd just stay down," he began. "But it looks like that not even your golden eyed friend can make that happen. Fine then, let's finish things between us first." Haku said, starting towards the ice mirrors.

"Hey!" Naruto called, causing Haku to pause.

"Naruto, we'll settle things later." he assured him before disappearing into the mirror. Shock registered on Naruto's face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Haku's image in the ice. _'Here he comes.' _After glancing around for a moment to make sure there were no other images, he confirmed his thoughts. _'So he is there. Okay…' _Sasuke unclasped his kunai pouch.

"Over here." a voice called. Sasuke's eyes widened. The ice mirror in front of him was bare.

_'He transported… How?' _

Suddenly, numerous images of Haku holding three senbon appeared in each one of the ice mirrors.

"Hikari Shield!" Hikari said, holding her arms out in front of her. Bright, gold chakra spread from her hands and enveloped herself and Sasuke. _'This will require more chakra than ever…' _Hikari thought, beginning to attempt to mold the chakra into a shape. It seemed to spread around in the air for a moment before solidifying into a sort of protective bubble.

"Hmph. Even that technique will not be able to save you, I can assure you that." Haku stated softly. Then, the needles began to fly.

"Ah! What the hell?!" Hikari shouted. Instead of the needles being deflected by her Hikari Shield, they pierced it and embedded themselves deeply into it. With each puncture mark, the strength of the shield weakened, and its bright glow began to fade. Hikari growled.

"Sasuke, I know you don't like other people telling you what to do, but now is the time to listen. If my shield fails… the danger multiplies. You can not let your guard down!" Hikari shouted, feeling her hands being pushed back a millimeter or two with every impact of a needle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke give a slight nod.

"Hm, you are stronger than I thought, girl." Haku said plainly. Hikari looked up at one of his images.

"I am not simply 'girl'…" she murmured. Her golden eyes narrowed.

"I am Light."

With a sound like an explosion, Hikari pushed her chakra forward and sent all the needles embedded in her Hikari Shield flying back to where they came from. They struck the ice mirrors and then bounced off and landed on the ground. A mirthless chuckle came from Haku.

"Well, even the light…" he flicked something slender and nearly invisible at Hikari. She cried out in pain as her head snapped to the side, crimson liquid spurting from her cheek. The speed of the needle was so incredibly fast that Hikari lost her balance and toppled forward, slamming into the ground.

"…Can be swallowed by darkness." Haku finished. Then, slowly, he turned his head towards Sasuke. Lifting his hand, he revealed more senbon.

"AAH!!!" Sasuke cried in agony as the needles sliced by him, so fast they were nearly invisible. Hikari gasped and raised her head up, only to be swiftly struck by more needles. She cried out in pain as well and her upper body swayed and fell forward once more. Soon, Sasuke's body gave out as well, and he fell onto his back and slid a few meters away from Hikari.

"Sasuke! Hikari!" Naruto and Sakura cried.

_'What just happened?' _Naruto thought in horror. _'Both Hikari **and **Sasuke got sliced up. How is this happening?' _

Sasuke grunted in pain as he got up onto one knee and clutched his shoulder. _'What is this technique?! The only thing I can think of is… having clones in the mirrors, all throwing needles at once. No… it's too fast for that. Why can't I even see where they're coming from? And, if it were just Bunshin no Jutsu, then what would be the point of the ice mirrors? Therefore… these mirrors must serve some kind of purpose in this attack!' _

"Sasuke," Hikari wheezed, pushing herself up onto her hands and knees. "I don't think just attacking from the inside will work…"

"I know. We can attack from the inside… and maybe Naruto can attack from the outside." Sasuke replied.

"Hey! I came to save you!" came a whisper from the side. Sasuke and Hikari's eyes widened.

"Hey, hey. Are you guys okay?" Naruto asked, grinning. Hikari groaned and lay her head down on the ground again.

_'We are royally screwed…' _

"You total moron!" Sasuke shouted, shaking his fist at Naruto. "If you're a shinobi, then move more carefully!"

"What did you say?! I come to save you and Hikari and this is what I get?!"

"Why'd you come inside the mirrors?! Damn it! I don't care anymore. You're an idiot."

"Idiot?! How dare you call me an idiot, you idiot!"

Hikari sighed and rolled on her back, no longer having the needles piercing her. _'**So **royally screwed…' _

Sasuke stood up. "Fine then, I'll just bust these mirrors!" He rapidly formed hand seals and shouted, "Katon:"

"Hey, what'cha gonna do?" Naruto asked.

"These mirrors are made of ice, so… Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted, gathering up chakra into his lungs and releasing it in one giant fireball. Hikari shot up as her eyes widened.

"It didn't do anything at all!" Naruto shouted. Hikari stood up and gazed around. Indeed, the jutsu had absolutely no effect on the ice.

"You can't melt this ice with fire of that power level." Haku's voice echoed. The images of him each held up three more senbon as the mirrors began to glow. The light emanating from them was so bright, Hikari, Naruto, and Sasuke closed their eyes and brought an arm in front of them to shield their eyes from the blinding glow.

"AAH!"

The three shinobi flew back onto the ground as blood spurted from newly made cuts on all three of them. Naruto grunted as he got onto his knees.

"Damn, where is he attacking from!? Using Bunshin?"

"No…" Hikari said, standing up. "It's not Bunshin, Naruto."

Naruto stood up as well and looked around. "Where's the real one?!"

"Trying to follow me with your eyes is useless." Haku's voice echoed around them. "You will never be able to catch me."

Naruto growled. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"Don't!" Sasuke shouted, but it was too late. Numerous Narutos appeared, jumping up into the air.

"I'll find the real one by crushing them all!" Naruto shouted.

Suddenly, all the images of Haku disappeared, and only a green blur was seen streaking by each shadow clone. Hikari tried to keep up with Haku's speed, her pupils dilating even more so. She strained to see more clearly, and her pupils continued to dilate, so much that her golden irises were only a thin ring around them.

"Ouch!" she whispered, snapping her eyes shut and opening them again to have them back to normal, her pupils no longer eerily large.

Haku continued to slip by, slashing at each clone one by one, until they all disappeared. The real Naruto fell from his position in the air and landed with a cry of pain next to Sasuke.

"This jutsu uses the mirrors reflections to transport me." Haku said as he appeared in the ice mirror in front of the trio. "From my point of view, the three of you seem to be moving in slow motion."

Naruto was still for a few moments before he bowed his head and murmured, "Damn it… So what?!" Haku seemed surprised at his exclamation.

"I can't die here!" Naruto said. "I have a dream I must fulfill… The dream to have everyone acknowledge my strength! And the dream to become Hokage!"

_'Dream…?' _

"…Becoming a true shinobi is difficult for me…" Haku began. "If possible, I don't want to have to kill you." Hikari looked up at this. "Nor do I want you to have to kill me. But if you come at me… I can destroy my kind heart with a blade, and become a true shinobi."

Hikari's eyes widened. _'Is… is that really what being a true shinobi is about? Having… no heart?' _

"This bridge is the place where we fight…" Haku continued. "To connect our dreams. Me, for my dream, and you, for your dreams. Please don't hate me. I want to protect someone precious to me… to work for that person, to make that person's dreams come true. That is my dream. For that, I can become a shinobi." The images of Haku held up three senbon needles.

"… I will kill you!"

XXX

**Author's Note: Wow, I do believe that is the longest chapter yet! And, it's only the beginning! **

**Review please! **

**Fate **


	11. To Protect Those You Cherish

**Author's Note: Okay, I am most likely going to start bawling as I write this chapter because I am such a sap… Oh well, beware though. Tragedy awaits! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or 'Never Alone,' by BarlowGirl, which I recommend all readers to listen to as you read the tragic part of this chapter. **

XXX

_'And though I can not see you, _

_And I can't explain why. _

_Such a deep, deep, _

_Reassurance _

_You've placed in my life. _

_Oh, we can not separate, _

_Cause you're part of me, and though you're invisible, _

_I'll trust the unseen.' _

**_-BarlowGirl, 'Never Alone.' _**

XXX

"Sasuke! Naruto! Hikari! Don't lose to that guy!" Sakura's voice reached the trio. Hikari turned her head towards the direction it was coming from. All she saw were ice mirrors with Haku's image in them. A worried expression crossed her face. Naruto began to speak.

"I don't chicken out after failing once!" he shouted. "I'll do it over and over if I have to! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Once again, several Narutos appeared and jumped into the air, and Haku repeated his actions, moving around at a speed almost impossible to track, destroying Naruto's clones. Once all the clones had disappeared, the real Naruto fell to the ground once again, and Hikari ran over to help him up.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Haku. _'It's just a little bit, but…' _He stood up. _'I'm starting to see his movements!' _

Naruto grunted as he formed a hand seal. "One more time!" Sasuke moved to protest, but Hikari stopped him.

"It wouldn't be wise at the moment." she murmured as Shadow Clones of Naruto leapt into the air. Sasuke nodded as an idea popped into his head. He moved his leg back and dragged it forward, sending a spray of water into the air. Hikari raised her eyebrows as she caught what he was trying to do. She smiled as she concentrated chakra into her foot and kicked the ground, sending another wave of water up.

"Can't you realize that it's useless?" Haku's voice echoed. This time, when he moved, he destroyed the shadow clones, and struck Naruto, Sasuke, and Hikari. The three teammates flew back and landed on the ground with cries of pain.

Sasuke was the first to get up. _'Even if I can see some of his movements, it doesn't mean I can keep up with his speed. The water is knocked away… But… if I were to use something other than water…'_ Another idea slowly formed in his head. _'All right! This is it!' _

_'Hm… Good plan.' _Another voice rang out in his mind, startling him. He looked to the raven haired girl next to him. Hikari looked back and winked.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted. That was it. Almost simultaneously, Sasuke and Hikari began to form hand signals. As Haku leapt towards Naruto, a giant fireball made its way in the same direction. Surprised, Haku barely dodged it and leapt into another ice mirror. He then began to increase his speed, making him almost invisible. Sasuke took a small step forward.

_'Wait… Almost.' _Hikari's voice rang out in his head. However the hell she was able to communicate with him telepathically, he did not have the time to find out. One of the Naruto clones was dangerously close to the ice mirrors. Seeing the opportunity arise, Hikari and Sasuke sent more giant fireballs towards the clone. This time, as Haku passed by, the flames singed his clothing. Despite that, Haku managed to destroy the last clone, and the real Naruto fell to the ground.

Sasuke smirked. _'Good, I'm slowly getting the timing down.' _

"Damn, we were so close…" Naruto said.

"Naruto," Sasuke called. "Can you keep going?"

Naruto grinned. "Of course! I'm totally fine!"

Sasuke frowned. _'He's pretty spent. I can't blame him… Kage Bunshin no Jutsu uses up a lot of chakra. But thanks to him, I've figured it out… A way to fight this.' _

The ice mirrors began to glow brightly. Sasuke rapidly formed hand seals.

"Naruto, run!" he ordered. "Get through and attack from the outside!"

Naruto blinked once before grinning. "You got it!" was all he said before he sped off.

"As if that can be done!" Haku said. The ice mirrors glowed once more, and Naruto was thrown back. However, he hopped right back up and continued to run for the opening to the outside of the ice prison.

"I won't fail!" Naruto shouted. Then, Haku emerged from his ice mirror and sped towards Naruto.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted, and he exhaled another fireball.

But… Haku spun right by it, and in doing so, hurled a needle at Sasuke. Hikari's eyes widened as she followed its path. _'The direction it's heading… It's going to-!' _

Hikari jumped forward in front of Sasuke and held her arms out. She let out a shout of pain as the needle pierced through her skin. It went deep into her flesh and blood spurted out from her left shoulder as it poked out of her back. _'My God… if that had hit Sasuke…'_

Suddenly, Haku appeared in front of Naruto and landed a swift kick to his face, sending him back towards Sasuke and Hikari.

"N-Naruto…" Hikari's voice said. Naruto looked towards the golden eyed girl who was gripping the senbon needle lodged in her shoulder tightly. Blood dripped down the front and back of her shirt. "Help me… I c-can't pull it out!" she said, her voice wobbling with agony. Naruto's eyes widened.

"Wh-what? Are you sure you're supposed to do that?!"

Hikari bit her lip and murmured, "Never mind." She gripped the needle even tighter and pulled. The ripping of fabric was heard, and part of her strapped sleeve was dangling from the bloody need. "Ow, ow, ow…"

"Are you-"

"I'm fine." Hikari whispered. "Naruto… Once more." she said. Naruto nodded.

"Alright."

This time, all three teammates ran in opposite directions, each heading for an opening. "Things won't go as you wish." Haku told them. He emerged from his ice mirror. "I'll start with you!"

Haku hurled one needle at Sasuke, and it struck him in the leg, stopping his run. Then, four more needles pierced him, and he cried out.

Naruto stopped his run. "Sasuke!" Then, the needles struck him.

"AUGH!"

Hikari kept running. _'If I don't get outside the ice prison, they'll…' _Hikari bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, running blind as hot tears leaked from them. She failed to noticed the five objects whizzing through the air towards her.

"AAIE!!!" she screamed, losing her footing as the needles all struck her in the back and emerged through the front of her body. Her blood stained the mirror in front of her as she hit the ground, causing the needles to slide back inside her and create more pain.

Hikari grunted as she slowly rose onto her knees. She jumped when a bloodcurdling scream split through the air. She recognized the voice, though.

"Sakura!!!"

XXX

Sasuke slowly rose to his knees and looked in the direction the scream had come from. _'That **was **Sakura. What's happening to her? Where is Kakashi?' _Sasuke looked to his side as Naruto began to weakly call out to Sakura. His eyes narrowed. _'I have to do something…' _

"I'll do something!" a battered Naruto called out as he slowly rose to his feet. "Here I go…"

"Useless actions." Haku said. As Naruto pumped chakra into his feet and ran for an opening, Haku appeared in the ice mirror in front of him. When Naruto flipped back and ran for another direction, Haku appeared in the mirror behind him, following his every move.

"Naruto! Behind you!" Sasuke warned. Naruto turned around and saw Haku hurling needles towards him. He saw the needles zip by in the air, and then, black.

"Hikari!"

Hikari let out a breath of air with a whoosh as the needles nailed her in the shoulders, chest, and stomach. A sickening splattering was heard as more of her blood spurted onto the ground. Slowly, she turned her head back to give a glance at Naruto and Sasuke, who were staring at her wide eyed with horror. She smiled.

As she blinked once, the world around her became blurry. Soon, everything began to spin. Hikari's knees buckled, and she twisted on the spot as she fell, causing her to face her two teammates. Her golden eyes slowly closed, and as the ground rushed up to meet her, a glistening tear fell from her eye.

"Protect…" was the faint whisper heard from her just before she hit the ground, stained with her blood.

Sasuke and Naruto ran forward to her and Naruto shouted, "Hikari! Hikari!!!"

"Naruto, she's only unconscious. She's still breathing." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded and formed a hand seal. "Hey, don't waste anymore chakra! That's what he wants!"

Naruto seemed to ignore him for a moment before his eyes widened as well. He fell to his knees.

"Naruto?"

He fell completely onto the ground.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called. It was no use; his blonde teammate had passed out as well. _'Damn, at this rate, we're in huge trouble! I have to… I have to do something!' _

Sasuke slowly rose to face an empty ice mirror and murmured, "Somehow, my eyes are getting used to it…"

Haku's image appeared suddenly in the mirror. "Now then, let's finally settle this." Haku moved to the next ice mirror over and hurled his senbon needles at Sasuke. Using quick reflexes, Sasuke picked up his own senbon from the ground and began to block the oncoming needles with the one he was holding.

Sasuke grunted as he fell to one knee. He looked at Naruto. "Damn it, get up, usuratonkachi!"

At Sasuke's voice, Naruto began to shake as he tried to rise. He rolled onto his back and pushed himself up. "Damn it, shut up!" Naruto said weakly.

Suddenly, more images of Haku appeared in the ice mirrors, and they all began to throw senbon. Sasuke jumped back up and began to dodge and knock away the flying needles. More images of Haku appeared, and they aimed for Naruto and Hikari. Naruto stood to grab Hikari by the waist and hoist her away, but he was too slow. Just before the needles struck him and the unconscious girl in his arms, Sasuke jumped and nudged him aside with his shoulder, sending them flying to the side. Sasuke grunted in pain as he felt the senbon enter his body.

Haku blinked in surprise behind his mask before vanishing from the mirror. Sasuke's eyes widened. "He vanished… Where did he go? Naruto, you'd better not pass out again! I can't watch over you any longer!" he called to the blonde boy on the ground. In the impact from landing, Hikari had slid from his grasp and rolled a few feet away, leaving a red streak on the ground.

"I know that." Naruto mumbled. He let out a breath of air as he slowly fell back, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Sasuke made a noise of shock as he turned to stare at his two teammates, now bloody and fallen.

"Looks like your friends have surpassed their own limits." Haku's voice echoed around him. Sasuke growled as he found his image in the ice mirror and threw a needle at it. It bounced off ice.

"Spectacular… spectacular movement." Haku murmured. Sasuke turned around to see Haku behind him. "You move very well." Haku lifted the three senbon needles in his grasp and flung them at Sasuke. Sasuke stepped to the side and let the needles collide with and bounce off of the empty ice mirror behind him.

"But this time I'll stop you." Haku continued. Suddenly, he was in front of Sasuke. "Your body, reflexes, ability to react… everything should already be… at its limit!"

Sasuke narrowed his onyx eyes. _'He's coming! Calm down… concentrate… and… see through it!'_

Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw Haku's motive. Grabbing Naruto, (Because Hikari was nowhere near him.) Sasuke pumped chakra into his feet and jumped.

The senbon hit bare ground.

_'He saw it completely!' _Haku realized. _'No way!' _Haku watched as Sasuke bowed his head as he set Naruto on the ground. Sasuke didn't look up for a few moments, but when he did, Haku was shocked.

Blood red eyes… two tomoe in one… one tomoe in the other…

_'Those eyes… It can't be!' _Haku thought almost frantically. _'Sharingan?!' _

"You are… Hm. I see… so you also hold the power of a kekkei genkai…" Haku murmured. _'I can not continue this fight much longer… So…' _Haku raised his senbon and aimed them at Naruto. He emerged from the ice mirror and sped at him. Sasuke realized what was happening and, pumping as much chakra into his legs as he could, sped towards Naruto.

"Haku, stop!!!"

Haku stopped in midair at the pleading scream. Sasuke raced in front of Naruto before stopping to look to the side as well.

Haku stared at the young girl on the ground a few yards away. She was bloody and pierced nearly everywhere with his senbon. She had rose on her hands and knees and was looking at him pleadingly with that odd, golden gaze of hers…

"Please…" Hikari whispered, her voice cracking. Her eyes were glistening with burning, unshed tears. "Don't do it… Please don't hurt my best friends!!!" she shrieked. Haku was silent for a few moments.

"Why…" Hikari looked up and sniffled.

"Why do you go to such lengths for these people?" Haku murmured. Hikari's eyes widened as more tears filled her eyes.

"Because…" she murmured. "I love them all. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi… they are my friends. They are my… they are my family!!! I… I would do anything for them. I would help them, even when they say they don't want it… I would teach them how to be strong… I would believe in them if no one else did… I love them!!!" Hikari screamed, tears flying from her eyes now.

Haku bowed his head, and Hikari gasped. "No…"

Haku raised an arm.

"No…"

Haku looked at Hikari. "I'm sorry."

"N-no!"

Haku pulled his arm back, and then released the needles.

"**_NOOOOO!!!!_**"

XXX

Naruto's form quivered slightly as he opened his cerulean eyes. He could have sworn he'd heard someone scream…

"Geez, you…"

Naruto's eyes widened a fraction as he slowly looked up at the person the voice was coming from.

"…Always getting in the way… "

Naruto snapped to attention as a grin spread onto his face. "Sasuke, you did it!" Suddenly, the grin faded as Naruto realized exactly what state his teammate was in.

At the silence, Sasuke slowly raised his head up and turned back to glance at Naruto. There was a trail of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, and a small smirk was gracing his face.

"What's… with that face?" he groaned. "…Usuratonkachi."

Naruto sat up, and it was only then he noticed Hikari sitting on the ground a few yards away. She was bloody and had numerous needles embedded in her flesh, and her mouth and eyes were wide open with horror. Hot trails of tears were flowing down her cheeks as she stared at Sasuke.

"Why did…" Naruto murmured. "you save me…?"

"…How should I know…" Sasuke replied, that smirk still on his face. As he turned away, memories slowly clouded his mind, each of them involving Naruto acting like a total moron… and then getting pissed off when Sasuke did something right. Then, the faintest of smiles crossed his expression as he bowed his head and let out a chuckle. "I… hated you…"

"But…" Naruto stood up, his voice rising. "Why?! Why? Why me?!" Naruto clenched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath.

"I never asked for your help!!!"

Hikari watched from her place, seemingly frozen. Her mouth was still open from the loud shriek she had given a few moments ago, and her body trembled. Her eyes widened even more when she saw a small bead of wetness gather at the corner of Sasuke's eye. _'H-he's…' _

"I don't know…" he whispered, the tear at the corner of his eye refusing to fall. "My body just moved on its own…" Slowly, Sasuke closed his eyes and let the whisper of a word escape his lips as he fell back. "… Baka…"

Naruto's eyes widened in horror as he watched Sasuke fall, and he instinctively jumped for ward to catch him.

"Sasuke!!!"

Hikari's head snapped up at the cry as her tears hit the ground. She let out a barely audible gasp as she jumped to her feet and stumbled forward, her hot tears blurring her vision. She stopped short just before Naruto and Sasuke, her mouth trembling.

"That man…" Sasuke whispered, his voice barely audible. "… My brother. I told myself… I wouldn't die until I killed him…" Sasuke's voice was fading, and his breaths were shallow. Hikari and Naruto saw, for the first time, his eyes truly showing emotion… and unshed tears. Sasuke blinked them away and looked at Hikari.

"You… you wasted your time on me… and I guess I'll never understand that… some things…"

Hikari shook her head violently, causing some tears to splatter onto the ground and her teammates. "No… N-no! Don't say that! You're going to be okay, and… and you c-can be a… an a-arrogant jerk all you want! I don't care!!! But DON'T SAY THAT!!!" Hikari sobbed. Sasuke smirked for a second, then turned towards Naruto, his face serious once more… and sad. He raised a pale hand.

"You…" he whispered even softer.

"… Don't die." Sasuke finished, his hand falling limply onto his stomach. He closed his eyes as his last breath softly left his lips, and his head thumped against Naruto's arm. Naruto stared at the lifeless body in his arms, and he felt a burning wetness rise in his eyes. He shuddered as he completely wrapped his arms around Sasuke… and gave one last hug to his best friend.

Behind them, Haku slowly rose, and the movement attracted Hikari's attention. It was then that the crashing realization hit her.

_Haku looked at Hikari. "I'm sorry." _

_"N-no!" _

_Haku pulled his arm back and released the needles. _

_"_**NOOOOO!!!!**_" _

Hikari shuddered as that moment played in her mind over and over and over again. "No…" she whispered, her breath quivering. She stared at Sasuke.

"NO!!!"

Hikari ran forward and dropped to her knees, grabbing Sasuke's large, blue, bloodstained collar. "No! Sasuke, don't do this! Where… Where's the cocky jerk we all know and love? Sasuke… Sasuke, come on! W-we all need you here, y-you can't… y-you c-can't…" Hikari sobbed, balling her hands into fists as tightly as she could. She could feel her nails digging into her own flesh through the cloth.

"S-Sasuke… Please! Please, I pr… I promise, I w-won't give you th-those noogies, and I won't pull your hair when I'm annoyed at you because you're insulting Sakura or Naruto or me, and I… I won't do any of that if you j-just… just…" Hikari choked on her words as she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, the tears still falling, now onto Sasuke's shirt. "S-Sasuke…" Hikari drew a large, shaky breath.

"_JUST WAKE UP, **SASUKE**!!!_"

XXX

**Author's Note: Holy crap… I'm like, so close to crying right now because I'm watching the episode and typing this… Oh God. **

**Alicia's going to kill me when she reads this chapter. **

**Oh, and by the way, that whole 'Sasuke had tears in his eyes' thing? It's fucking true! I didn't notice it myself until I was actually paying attention as close as I was now. If you don't believe me, go to Narutomagic dot com, Season One, Episode Sixteen, and pause it at Sixteen Minutes, Four Seconds. I swear to God, I am not lying… **

**Just sniffling at the moment. **

**Review please, **

**Fate **


	12. Cherryblossoms Weep As Well

**Author's Note: Well, Alicia didn't kill me, but she called me and nearly blew my eardrum out with her shouting. -Sigh- / **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

XXX

"…He was a true shinobi." the voice spoke. Hikari's head snapped up, and she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists harder.

"Why…"

Haku looked at the shuddering girl before him, kneeling on the ground and sobbing over the loss of a teammate.

"…Why did you do it?" Hikari asked. Haku remained silent. Hikari slowly let go of Sasuke's collar and stood up. She spun around and lashed out.

"WHY DID YOU MURDER MY FRIEND?!" she shrieked, crystalline tears pouring down her cheeks and splattering down onto the ground. Haku bowed his head.

"…It was necessary. I am sorry." Haku murmured as he slowly melted back into the ice mirror.

"…I won't forgive you." A different voice spoke this time. Hikari turned and looked back at Naruto. He was still holding onto Sasuke, his head bowed so his eyes weren't seen. Slowly, Hikari became aware of a faint hissing sound that was steadily growing louder. Suddenly, steam began to rise from the ground in thick waves, surrounding the forms of Naruto and Sasuke. Then, a loud bang sounded, and a sinister, red chakra began to spiral up from where her two teammates were.

Hikari gasped and stepped back as the chakra began to slice up the ground in front of her. Her raven hair billowed in the whipping wind that had stirred up the moment the red chakra began to emerge. The ground split in front of Hikari as she let out an astonished gasp, and more red chakra slithered along the cracks in front of her. Hikari slid to her knees and bowed her head down, placing both hands over the nape of her neck to protect it from flying debris. Then, she heard his voice.

"…I'll rip you apart!"

Hikari's eyes widened. His voice was different. It was feral and low… and it held a malicious killing intent that Hikari never knew Naruto had.

_'Wait, no…' _

The mist and red chakra had dissipated to reveal Naruto, hunched over and sounding like he was in pain. His teeth were bared.

_'No, this…' _

The whisker markings on his face were longer, and thicker.

_'This isn't…' _

His eyes were red and had black slits for pupils. A dark black outlined them.

_'…This isn't Naruto.' _Hikari realized, peeking up through her raven hair which was still blowing in front of her. Suddenly, Naruto growled and launched at Haku. Hikari, seeing a safe opportunity, quickly got up and ran towards Sasuke's body.

_'If this is what I think it is…'_ Hikari thought, sliding her arms around Sasuke's torso and lifting him partially off the ground. She grunted and pumped chakra into her arms and legs. _'… We're not safe sitting close by.'_ Hikari ran as fast as she could, careful not to let Sasuke's body slip and tumble to the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut as the sickening smell of blood filled her senses. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

_'Sasuke…' _

Hikari's legs gave out and she crashed to the ground. She turned around to see what was happening, and she gasped.

Haku had launched his needles at Naruto, and they had all struck him in the back. Hikari was about to scream when Naruto unleashed another feral growl and more red chakra zoomed out from him, blowing all the needles out of his skin. Naruto turned towards Haku and ran at his mirror. Haku disappeared from it just as Naruto swung out his fist and shattered it. Haku suddenly appeared from one of the shards and dove straight down towards Naruto, a senbon in his hands.

Naruto jumped and spun away from the attack, letting Haku slam into the ground. Naruto slid a few meters away, and then looked up at Haku with his scarlet eyes. Haku turned and attempted to slide into another ice mirror, but Naruto jumped up and grabbed his arm, spinning him around with it. With a large outcry from Naruto, an explosion sounded and red chakra burst into the air.

Hikari watched in shock. Naruto had clenched his free hand into a fist. He growled maliciously, and Hikari's eyes widened. _'He's going to…' _

Naruto swung back his fist, and with wicked strength, landed a devastating blow on Haku's face. Haku flew back and above Hikari. Hikari gasped and looked up to see an ice mirror.

"Damn it!" she shouted as Haku slammed into and crashed right through it. Piercing shards of ice rained down, and Hikari jumped forward and protected Sasuke's body with her own, since she didn't have enough strength for the Hikari Shield. She grunted as she felt one or two large shards pierce her back, but she didn't care. The sound of multiple surfaces cracking and shattering filled her ears, and she looked up to see the ice mirrors all breaking.

_'I can't protect Sasuke's body with my own now…I'll die! I only have one other option.' _Hikari reasoned. Grabbing Sasuke's cold body, Hikari pulled it close and hunched over, and the most blinding white light emitted from her. The ice shards shattered in midair until only specks of glittering substance was left, none of it harming to anyone.

Hikari grunted as she felt a weight on her back. She cracked open one golden eye, which she had squeezed shut. She saw the faint golden glow surrounding her hands and the rest of her body. She looked down and saw no needles, but her cuts and bruises remained. She was still wearing her black clothes.

But when she looked over her shoulder, she smiled faintly as she saw pure, white, untainted feathers.

The feathers of her wings.

XXX

Hikari shivered as she gently set Sasuke's body onto the ground and stood up, teetering awkwardly to the side for a moment. The added weight to her back felt uncomfortable after going without it for so long. Hikari softly flapped her wings and heard the faint whisper of the feathers brushing against each other. She turned to look for Naruto, but he was nowhere to be found. Only thick mist surrounded her.

"… I hope nothing bad happens to him." Hikari whispered to no one. Slowly, she turned around and looked at the figure on the ground before her. Crystalline tears began to well up in her eyes.

Hikari took one step forward, reaching out a hand. Her hand began to glow as small white lights spiraled around it.

_'I'm not… I'm not supposed to interfere with death… But just this once...'_ Hikari hoped, reaching out her shaking hand. She dropped to her knees and her wings closed slightly around her body. As Hikari reached for Sasuke's forehead, an echoing voice stopped her.

_**'What are you doing… Hikari?' **_

Hikari froze, eyes wide, and slowly let her hand drop and cease glowing. "…Why?" she whispered, looking up to the Heavens. The voice answered her.

_**'You are not to interfere with the dead. That is the rule. Your duty was to change their Fate, but some things must happen the way they happen.' **_

"But it's not fair!" Hikari shouted. She wrapped her wings around her tighter.

_**'… You were forbidden to reveal yourself to anyone, Hikari. You've disobeyed me.' **_

"I did no such thing. Naruto was gone before he saw me. And… Sasuke…" Hikari's voice broke as more tears welled up in her eyes. "… Is he… Is Sasuke…?"

_**'He is not here if that is your question.' **_

Hikari's face scrunched up, her eyes pained and still shedding tears. "W-why?"

**_'… His soul. It has not left his body.'_ **

Hikari gasped as her head shot up, scattering her tears. She looked up towards the sky hopefully. "You mean he… He is alive?"

_**'…No.' **_

Hikari's face fell, as did more tears. She wrapped her wings around her even tighter, and all one could see was her face now. "…But can he be saved?"

**_'Yes… But you are not permitted to use your powers to do so.'_ **

Hikari looked back up. "Then how can he…?"

_**'…' **_

Hikari frowned at the Heavens. "Please… I beg of you. I… Do you know what will happen? Naruto… he will forever blame himself. Though he won't say it… Sasuke was his friend!!! And Sakura will-" Stopped in mid-sentence. _'Sakura…' _Hikari closed her eyes as she thought of the pink haired kunoichi who adored Sasuke.

Loved him.

_**'This… Sakura that you speak of.' **_Hikari looked up hopefully. _**'She is… affectionate towards him?' **_

Hikari bowed her head and whispered, "She loves him. You know that."

**_'… I see. Perhaps…'_ **

Hikari looked back up and let a small, hopeful smile grace her face.

_**'Perhaps you'd better conceal yourself once more. The girl… Sakura, you said… She is coming.' **_

Hikari's face fell. "Wait!" she called. Only the wind replied. Faintly, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Hikari kneeled and placed her hands over her heart. She heard the rustle of feathers and then arched her back when she felt the uncomfortable sensation of slipping her wings into her body. She hissed as the weight on her back disappeared and she fell forward, now on her hands and knees. Her wings were gone.

Hikari looked up and bit her lip. _'Why? Why can't I interfere with death just this once?! It's not fair… IT'S NOT FAIR!!!' _Hikari bit her lip harder and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt the burning wetness slide down her cheeks, and she struggled not to wail and sob as she was so tempted to. She waited.

She didn't have to wait long, though.

Two loud gasps sounded behind her, and Hikari whimpered as more tears fell. Slowly, she raised her head up and looked behind her.

Sakura and Tazuna were standing there. They looked from her to Sasuke and back to her. Hikari's eyes narrowed as she tried to fight back tears. She was looking at Sakura.

"Sakura…" she whispered, standing up. Hikari took one step and fell back down. She looked up at the pink haired kunoichi. Hikari choked a sob.

"I'm sorry… The masked boy, Haku… He… I- I begged him not to! I begged him to stop, but…" Hikari's voice rose in pitch as she let out a sob. "He wouldn't listen! He just threw the needles and I couldn't stop him… I'M SORRY, SAKURA!!!" Hikari wailed, bowing her head down and squeezing her eyes shut as more tears poured from them. Her shoulders shook violently with each sob.

A small voice whispered to her as she felt a warm hand placed on her shoulder. "Don't be. It wasn't your fault." Sakura said. She looked forward at Sasuke's body, and her emerald eyes widened slightly. Slowly, almost as if she were in a trance, Sakura walked forward and dropped to her knees beside Sasuke. She reached out a hand and gently caressed his cheek with it.

"He's so cold…" she whispered, and Hikari forced back another sob. Tazuna turned to look at Sakura, who was just absently caressing Sasuke's cheek.

"It's okay, Sakura. It's best to let your feelings out. Don't pay me any mind." Tazuna whispered hoarsely. Sakura was silent for a few moments, her back to Hikari and Tazuna. She didn't stop caressing Sasuke's cheek, as if she was silently hoping that he could feel it.

"I… always scored one hundred percent on the Ninja Academy exams…" Sakura whispered, her head bowed. Tazuna looked back at her, and Hikari sniffled and slowly got to her feet. "I memorized the over one hundred shinobi sayings," she continued. "And I always wrote the correct answers. On this one day's test, this question appeared…"

Hikari tilted her head slightly to the left, one single tear sliding down her cheek. Sakura took a shuddering breath and continued.

"'Write down shinobi saying number twenty-five.' I wrote down the answer as usual…" Sakura's voice began to waver and she squeezed her eyes shut. Tazuna looked away from the pink haired girl, his own eyes welling up slightly with tears. In front of him, Hikari was trembling as a massive amount of guilt rose inside of her.

"'A shinobi must always keep emotions on the inside, no matter what the situation.'" Sakura's voice rose in pitch as she couldn't hold back her crystalline tears any longer. She shook as she allowed them to pour down her cheeks. She continued to speak, her voice high and broken. "'You must keep the mission the top priority, and you must possess a heart that has no tears.'" Sakura sobbed, the tears falling faster.

Hikari bowed her head and glanced at Sakura out of the corner of her golden eye, which was currently releasing more tears. "…What the hell… W-what kind of code is that?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "Someone like you, Sakura… is too good… for a pathetic code like that!" she sobbed.

Sakura smiled weakly at Hikari, and then looked at Sasuke. She sniffled and squeezed her eyes shut, her shoulders shaking with new sobs. Sakura's arms gave out as she laid her head on Sasuke's stomach. She let out quiet sniffles and whimpers, and Hikari squeezed her eyes shut and waited.

"Sasuke…" came the soft whisper.

Sakura screamed. Hikari bit her lip as her friend's wails sliced through the air.

"WHY? _**WHY?!**_"

Hikari's eyes snapped open as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. She gripped her chest as she felt an agonizing tightening- it was painful.

_'Is this what it is? Your intention? Why… why are you going to take him form her. She… she loves him! She would do anything for him, she LOVES him!!! Please…' _Hikari slid back to the ground, onto her hands and knees. Her golden eyes were wide open as she stared at the ground as her tears dotted it.

"…Don't take him away from Sakura." Hikari squeezed her eyes shut. She whispered something only God could hear.

"Don't destroy my best friend."

Said best friend looked up at Hikari with swollen, red, teary eyes. She was shaking with sobs, and Hikari's heart broke at the sight. She crawled over to Sakura and opened her arms in a hug. Sakura wailed and buried her head into Hikari's shoulder as she wept.

Hikari began to weep with her.

XXX

**Author's Note: Another sad chapter… my mom is like, totally looking at me like I'm insane right now. I assume she's reading over my shoulder. Oh, and for those of you that didn't get certain parts of this chapter, here's an explanation. **

**When Hikari had wings on her back, those were her angel wings. The only way she could protect Sasuke was by letting some of her disguise slip and revealing part of her angel form. **

**And also, she was talking to God (The bold italics.). **

**Review, please! **

**Fate **


	13. Love Of A Soul As Pure As Snow

**Author's Note: Ohayo people. In response to a review submitted by Alucius, who rocks for reviewing little ol' me, Hikari does, in fact, know everything about Team Seven. She also wanted to prevent what happened to Sasuke, but she couldn't, and so, she thinks that this time, she failed. Also, Haku has already died, because in case you didn't remember, Sakura only showed up and saw Sasuke after Haku died. As for Zabuza… I'm not telling. Read on to find out, though! **

**And, s-makn, you rock for reviewing me as well. Sakura let out a blood curdling scream last chapter because Zabuza had come after her and Tazuna and attempted to kill them. Since the whole chapter was focusing on Naruto, Sasuke, Haku, and Hikari, I couldn't write that down, though. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. **

XXX

"Sakura…" Hikari hesitantly whispered after a few minutes. Sakura sniffled and looked up. Hikari felt another tear slip from her eye. "Haku… where is he?" Hikari asked. Sakura's face scrunched up, and she looked pained.

"D-dead…" she whispered shrilly. Hikari's eyes widened.

"N-nani?!"

Sakura sobbed and nodded. Then, she murmured, "I-if you w-want to go… I-it's okay…" Hikari looked at her like she was insane.

"But…"

Sakura let out another sob and nodded. "Go… I'll be okay…"

Hikari stared at Sakura, and then at Sasuke as another tear slid down her cheek. "…Thank you, Sakura…" She gave Sakura a quick squeeze around the shoulders and then stood up. Nodding to Tazuna, she turned and began to run as fast as she could. Behind her, Sakura began to wail all over again, and Hikari sobbed herself and let fresh waves of tears pour down her cheeks.

XXX

Hikari panted as she ran faster, her lungs burning and legs aching. She looked up ahead and squinted to see the figures of people further along the bridge. One of them was bright orange, though.

"Naruto!" Hikari called. No response. "NARUTO!!!"

The blonde boy turned around to see a girl dressed in black and very bloody running towards him. His eyes widened.

"Kakashi-sensei, look! It's Hikari!"

The silver-haired Jounin on his knees turned his head to look as well. Indeed, Hikari was running towards them, and she didn't look too good.

"N-Naruto…" Hikari panted, skidding to a stop in front of him. Her eyes widened as she looked past him. "Oh my God…"

Hikari's golden eyes widened even more as she stared at the body in front her, which was bloodier than her own. The smell and sight combined made her stomach heave. "W-who…?" she croaked.

"…It was me." Kakashi murmured, sounding ashamed. Hikari whipped her head in his direction and looked horrified.

"W-what?!"

Naruto shook his head. "He didn't mean to. He was protecting Zabuza." he informed her. Hikari gasped and slowly turned to look at Zabuza, who was looking at her almost curiously.

"You!" Hikari cried, launching at Zabuza. Naruto grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back.

"Hikari, don't!" he pleaded as said girl struggled against him.

"Hm, and who is this feisty young maiden?" a voice said. All heads turned towards a man dressed all in black and holding a cane.

"Who are you?" Hikari asked. Much to her surprise, Zabuza spoke, but not to her.

"…What are you doing here, Gatoh? And what is with all these men?" he asked, indicating what practically looked like an army behind him.

Gatoh chuckled and said, "The plan has changed a little bit. Sorry, but, Zabuza, I'm going to have you killed here."

A gasp came from Hikari as Zabuza's eyes slowly widened. "What?"

"Hiring normal ninjas is expensive, so I get Missing-nins like you. The ninjas battle it out, and with any luck, they kill each other, saving me money and effort." Gatoh explained. "But the Demon of the Hidden Mist? What a joke, if you ask me… You're just a cute little baby devil." Gatoh said mockingly, earning loud laughs from his men behind him.

Naruto was staring at said men. _'Who are those guys? Why are there so many of them?' _

"Kakashi, I'm sorry…" Zabuza began. "This fight is now over. Now that I have no reason to go after Tazuna, I have no reason to fight you."

"Yeah… you're right." Kakashi agreed. There was a shuffling beside him, and he looked to see that Hikari had stepped forward and balled her hands into fists. She was glaring hatefully in front of her. Kakashi turned to see what she was glaring at, and he saw Gatoh walking to Haku's body, a disgusting smile on his face.

"Oh yeah…" he murmured. "I owe this one. Squeezing my arm till it broke…" Gatoh cried out and kicked the body viciously, earning a shocked outcry from Naruto and Hikari.

Gatoh poked at Haku's pale face with his cane. "Huh, he's dead." he said nonchalantly, an almost cheerful tone to his voice.

"You bastard!" Naruto roared, launching forward. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Kakashi grabbed Naruto around the middle and held him back. "No! Don't just jump in there!" he warned. Hikari ran to Naruto's side and grasped his wrist firmly so he wouldn't move- but she was also trying to occupy herself so she wouldn't hurl a kunai at Gatoh's head, because she sorely wanted to.

Naruto glared at Zabuza's back. "Why don't you say something?! Weren't you friends?!"

"…Shut up kid." he snapped coldly. "Haku is already dead."

"Because of you!" came another shout. It was from Hikari, who looked just as angry as Naruto.

"Don't you even care?!" Naruto demanded. "Weren't you always together?!"

"As I was used by Gatoh, I used Haku. That's all it was." Zabuza said. Hikari clenched her fists tightly, biting her lip in fury. "I've said it already…" Zabuza continued. "We shinobi are simply tools. What I wanted was his ability, not him! I have no regrets."

"But that's wrong! Using somebody like that is wrong!!!" Hikari shouted, her eyes welling up with tears. Zabuza glanced over his shoulder at her.

"And this is coming from the person whose wails and screams I heard when Haku killed your teammate?"

Hikari gasped and her eyes widened, one tear spilling over. "No… N-no! Don't you dare bring Sasuke into this, you have no right! He… Haku may have done that, but… to feel no remorse… no regret knowing… that it's you he was protecting when he died… How? How can you not feel at all?!" she shouted. Zabuza turned back around and didn't answer.

Kakashi placed a hand on Hikari's arm. "Hikari…"

Hikari growled and flung it away, a choked sob escaping her. "N-no…" she sobbed, tears flowing down her face. She clenched her teeth tightly, but a wail escaped her as she remembered Zabuza's words.

_"And this is coming from the person whose wails and screams I heard when Haku killed your teammate?" _

"You…" Naruto spoke menacingly at Zabuza.

"Naruto, don't…" Kakashi began.

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted. "I don't care what you say, Kakashi-sensei, but he is still MY ENEMY!!!" he finished, pointing an accusing finger at Zabuza. Zabuza glared back at him out of the corner of his eye.

"He…" Naruto panted. "He… He really loved you!!! He loved you that much!!! Yet, you really feel nothing?!" Naruto's voice cracked and wavered. "Do you really… really not feel anything?! If I become as strong as you…" Naruto's eyes began to fill with tears. "…Will I really become like you? He threw away his life for you!" Naruto shook his head, tears spilling from his cerulean eyes. Hikari opened her own eyes as more tears poured from them, and she looked at Naruto with a mix of agony and surprise.

"Without his own dream…" he continued, voice shaky. "To die as a tool… That's… t-that's… _That's just so wrong!!!_"

"Kid…"

Naruto and Hikari both looked up at Zabuza. Hikari let out a choked gasp as she looked at the ground. Naruto gazed in the same direction, and his eyes widened as he saw small, dark dots appearing on the ground.

Zabuza tilted his head skyward. "You two don't… need to say anymore." he whispered, voice strangled.

"It pained Haku to have to fight you… He fought not only for me, but for you guys too. I can understand. He was too kind." Slowly, Zabuza turned his head to look at Hikari, whose eyes widened at the sight of his tears. "He was… much like you, little girl. And in the end… I'm glad I could meet you all. I… I am sorry for your friend." he finished, and Hikari sniffled as more tears fell.

Zabuza took his face wrappings into his mouth, and with quick jerks of his head, ripped them and let them fall away. He looked back at Naruto, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, kid… You may be right. A shinobi… is still a human. We may not be able to become emotionless tools." A small sigh escaped his lips. "I've lost." The smile slowly faded.

"Kid, lend me your kunai!" Zabuza demanded roughly to Naruto.

Naruto sniffled and slid the kunai out of his pouch. "Take it." he said, tossing the weapon into the air.

Zabuza caught it in his mouth, and there was a vicious look in his eyes. Gatoh saw it and shouted, running back.

"That's enough! Kill them now!" he ordered fearfully. There was a loud cheer from his men as one shouted out above the others.

"One badly injured ninja against these numbers? You think you can win?"

That ninja was the first to die.

Zabuza charged through the crowd, slicing the other men apart with the single kunai in his mouth. As he did so, he failed to notice one furious man behind him raise his own weapon and bring it down.

"Hikari Shield!"

Zabuza turned and looked at the young girl as if she were insane. Kakashi and Naruto's shocked cries could be heard among the uproar.

Hikari pushed back the chakra, deflecting the man and knocking down several more in the process.

"What are you waiting for, Zabuza-san? Get going!" Hikari called. Zabuza's eyes widened at the use of the respectful suffix, but he merely nodded and ran back into the crowd, searching for who really deserved to feel the sharp point of the kunai embedded deeply in their flesh.

Several men tried to attack him, but all were deflected by the Hikari Shield, for Hikari ran right behind Zabuza, protecting him much like Haku used to. However, one man got lucky and swiped Hikari in the side. She cried out as she fell to the ground. The man picked her up by the throat and flung her out of the crowd. As soon as she was gone, with no other obstacles, the man drove his weapon straight into Zabuza's back.

Bad idea.

Zabuza's ferocity increased, and he slashed by every single man wickedly and rapidly, until he saw the one he was looking for.

Gatoh had reached the edge of the bridge, and turned around to see what had happened. He was met by the fearsome sight of a bloody man speeding towards him with malicious intent. Fear overpowered Gatoh's senses.

"It's the Devil!!!" he shouted, nearly hysterical.

His exclamation did nothing to either stop or slow Zabuza. With all the strength he had left, Zabuza rammed the kunai as deeply into Gatoh's stomach as he could. The impact sent Gatoh backwards and caused him to cough up a large amount of blood.

Zabuza smiled for a split second before calling out in agony. Six more men had driven their spears and swords into Zabuza's back, causing a massive amount of blood to spurt out onto the ground.

"If… you want to go to the same place as your friend… Then go alone!" Gatoh shouted weakly, clutching at the deep would Zabuza had made in his chest.

"Unfortunately…" Zabuza began. "I don't plan to go to the same place as Haku…" Gatoh whimpered as Zabuza stood up straight and advanced towards him. "What? You won't survive… You and I together…" Zabuza got right in Gatoh's face, producing a terrified expression from the old man.

"We are going to HELL!!! Even the unremarkable Demon of the Hidden Mist… can die and become a real demon in Hell! Look forward to it!" Zabuza taunted, causing Gatoh to cower even more. "We'll have plenty of time to see if I'm just a little baby devil down in Hell!"

Zabuza took the kunai back into his mouth and began to slice unmercifully at Gatoh. The second time he slashed at him, Gatoh's glasses fell off, and Zabuza crushed them beneath his foot. With the ferocity of a demon himself, he delivered the final blow to Gatoh, and sent him sailing over the edge of the bridge, and into the life-claiming waters of the sea below.

The rest of the men cowered and stepped back as Zabuza turned to face them. They stepped to the side, forming a wide path for Zabuza. As Zabuza stared ahead, he saw Naruto and Kakashi behind Haku's body. Hikari had landed right beside Haku when the men had tossed her aside, and she was struggling to stand up.

Zabuza grunted as he let the bloody kunai slip from his mouth and clatter to the ground. He began to slowly walk forward.

"Haku…" Zabuza whispered as he looked on sadly. He saw the image of his friend dressed in blood-free clothes, surrounded by a beautiful golden light.

"This is good-bye, Haku. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry…" he whispered as his strength left him, and he fell forward.

Hikari, who had just stood, cried out. Naruto groaned and looked away.

"Don't avert your eyes." Kakashi said. "It is the end of a man who led a difficult life."

Hikari nodded sadly in agreement. Naruto sighed sadly.

"…Yeah."

XXX

_'Did I… die?' _he asked himself. Soft sobs and whimpers were heard.

"S-Sasuke…"

That voice. He recognized that voice.

_'Sakura? I… Am I…' _

He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his stomach. A sobbing, pink haired kunoichi was sobbing on it. Seeing her, he said the first thing that popped into his foggy mind.

"Sakura… You're heavy."

Sakura's head snapped up as she looked in the direction the familiar voice came from. More tears splattered to the ground. She couldn't believe it…

"Sasuke…?"

The boy on the ground blinked at her. Tazuna made a shocked sound. Sakura shuddered as she looked down at the boy.

"Sasuke! Sasuke!!!" she wailed as she leaned down and wrapped her arms around him. He was cold and bloody, and quite frankly, Sakura didn't give a damn. She wailed and sobbed with disbelief and joy as she wrapped her arms tighter around him.

Sasuke was startled by her sobs and her large display of affection. If he wasn't _the _Sasuke Uchiha, he might have blushed. But all he said was, "Sakura… That kinda hurts…"

Behind the two kids, Tazuna sniffled and wiped away a tear. _'Sakura… What a miracle for her…' _

Sasuke groaned as he slowly tried to sit up. Sakura freaked out a little.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't move!" she told him, placing a hand on his arm as he bent over from pain.

"W-what about Naruto and Hikari…?" he asked. "And… that masked kid?"

"Naruto and Hikari are fine… but Haku…" Sakura bowed her head. "He's… dead."

Sasuke's head snapped up. "Dead? Naruto and Hikari killed him?"

Sakura closed her eyes briefly and looked away from him. Sasuke's eyes followed her gaze as he listened to her speak. "I'm not sure, but… he was protecting Zabuza." Sakura turned back to Sasuke and smiled joyfully at him. "I knew you were going to be okay! I had faith in you, Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed, standing up.

"Naruto! Hikari!"

Said shinobi looked up at the voice calling their names. Hikari was surprised.

_'That voice… Sakura? She sounds… happy?' _

Naruto turned at Sakura's voice, and his heart nearly stopped.

"Naruto, Hikari! Sasuke's all right! He's alive!" Sakura was shouting, waving at them as Sasuke attempted to stand up.

Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke looked away from him and raised a hand in acknowledgement. Slowly, his eyes filled with tears and a grin crossed his face.

Hikari's eyes were nearly out of their sockets. She took a few steps forward, her mouth wide open in shock. "Oh, my…" was all she could manage before she clapped her hands over her mouth and slid to her knees, tears of joy pouring down her cheeks.

_'I thought you… you said I couldn't interfere with death.' _she thought.

**_'I did. However, I never said anything about not interfering myself.' _**

Hikari squeezed her eyes shut, and she laughed.

"So, Sasuke is all right." Kakashi murmured, sounding calm, but joyful all the same. "That's great."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" a voice called out. All head turned towards the remaining men that Zabuza hadn't killed.

"You guys are too relaxed!" one said.

"Damn ninja… you killed our meal ticket!" another shouted.

"You guys are dead! Now we'll have to pillage this city, and take everything of value!"

All the men cheered approvingly, and Kakashi muttered, "Damn, this is bad."

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called. "Don't you have a special jutsu to defeat them all?"

"I can't, I used too much chakra."

"Hmph." Hikari said, whipping out three kunai in one hand, and holding four shuriken in the other. "It's not jutsu, but maybe it will help…"

Hikari was cut off as one single arrow slammed into the ground in front of them. Everyone gasped as they turned around and were greeting with a truly shocking sight.

"If you come any further onto our island… the citizens of this country will stop you with everything we've got!" announced one person. It was a true statement.

Every single person from the Country of the Wave was there… holding weapons.

"Inari!" Naruto cried, seeing the young boy at the head of the crowd holding his crossbow.

Inari chuckled and said, "A hero always shows up at the last second, eh?"

Tazuna looked ready to weep tears of joy. "Inari… you guys…"

Hikari turned and smirked at the tiny army of Gatoh's men. "Looks like you fools are outnumbered, eh Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and grinned, performing a familiar hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Four more Narutos appeared, and Gatoh's men cowered.

Kakashi chuckled and performed the same hand seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

About one hundred Kakashis appeared.

"Kakashi style!"

By now, all of Gatoh's remaining men were screaming in terror.

"So… you want some of this?" the Kakashis shouted.

As all of Gatoh's men scrambled to escape the bridge, Inari raised his crossbow.

"WE DID IT!!!"

Amongst all the joy and cheering, one young girl kneeled beside a fallen person.

"Zabuza-san…" Hikari whispered. Kakashi came up behind her and stared down at the two people.

"Sounds like it's over…" Zabuza murmured.

"Yeah." Kakashi said.

"…Kakashi… I have a request."

"…What is it?"

Zabuza peered up at the silver haired Jounin and the golden eyed girl. "I want… to see his face."

Kakashi covered his Sharingan eye with his forehead protector and smiled sadly. "Sure."

All heads turned to watch as Kakashi carefully removed the weapons embedded in Zabuza's back. Once that had been done, Kakashi lifted him up off the ground and slowly walked over to another fallen body. Hikari stared for a moment before her eyes welled up with tears, and she stood up and followed. As she trailed slowly behind Kakashi, her eyes went skyward, and a single tear slipped from them. It began to snow.

Everyone stared up in wonder at the soft little flakes lazily drifting from the Heavens. Zabuza smiled.

_'Haku… are you weeping?' _

Kakashi gently set down Zabuza next to Haku's body, and Zabuza murmured, "Thank you, Kakashi…"

Kakashi nodded and walked away, but Hikari remained where she was, watching over the two people on the ground. More tears sprang to her eyes.

"You have always been by my side." Zabuza murmured to the person beside him who couldn't hear his words.

"…I'd like to be by your side at the end." Zabuza groaned with effort as he attempted to move the hand between him and Haku. "If I could…" He reached for Haku's face. "I'd like to…" His fingers slowly touched Haku's cold cheek. "Go to the same place as you…"

"… You will." a small voice on the other side of him whispered. Zabuza turned his head and saw Hikari kneeling beside him, tears streaming down her face.

"… What makes you think that?" Zabuza asked.

"Because…" she whispered, taking his hand. "I've heard… that if an angel weeps for you… You will be blessed with an afterlife in Heaven…"

Zabuza faintly smiled. "Well… the only one I see weeping for me right now… is you."

Hikari gently squeezed his hand and smiled. "Exactly."

Zabuza's smile became more visible, and he gently squeezed Hikari's hand as well. But then, his eyes closed, and slowly, his hand slid out of hers.

Hikari's smile faded, and she bit her lip and closed her eyes. Her shoulders shook, but no sound came from her, until she couldn't take it any longer.

Burying her face in her hands, more tears began to pour down Hikari's cheeks, and she wailed with grief.

Sakura stared at her best friend, and she reached out and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder. When the young boy turned his onyx eyes towards her, he saw her with a hand clapped over her mouth and tears streaming down her face. He decided he'd let her be… just this once.

Naruto was sniffling as tears ran down his face as well. "He… told me… he was born in a place where it always snowed…"

Kakashi stared at the heavily sobbing pupil beside Zabuza and Haku, and he felt a tear prick at the corner of his eye. "I see…"

"Maybe… You will be able to go… Zabuza."

XXX

**Author's Note: I hope you all liked that chapter. The next will be the last one in the Country of the Wave. **

**Reviews are sincerely appreciated, **

**Fate **


	14. The End Of An Adventure

**Author's Note: Okay, the ending of the Wave Country arc. Doesn't it just make you sad? Oh, by the way, I consider this chapter as special. Why, you ask? Six words. **

_**All Team Seven, all the time. **_

**Lol. Trust me; you will love me after you read this chapter. X3 **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

XXX

Hikari sighed softly as she slowly trudged alongside Naruto. After the events that had occurred on the bridge, Team Seven and the others were headed back to Tazuna's house for a nice, well-deserved rest. However, Naruto had been oddly quiet the whole way.

Hikari glanced at Naruto as he shot a quick glance behind him and then turned forward again. Hikari raised a brow and glanced behind her as well. Tazuna, Inari, and Tsunami were walking along, quietly chatting amongst themselves. Tsunami seemed to be praising Inari for having the courage to gather everybody in town to go fight.

In front of them, Sasuke was limping along, an arm slung over Sakura for support. Hikari's eyes widened, understanding Naruto's strange silence and behavior.

"He'll be okay." Hikari said. Naruto turned to look at her, a surprised expression on his face. Hikari smiled at him. "Don't worry; it's natural to worry about your friend."

Hikari's smile widened ever so slightly as there was a slight shuffling sound behind her; Sasuke must have heard her words as well.

Naruto bowed his head and stared at the ground, keeping up his silence.

"Do you want to be his friend?"

This time, Naruto's head snapped up as he exclaimed, "What?! What are you talking about?!"

Hikari closed her eyes and chuckled. "Naruto, it's alright. I was there, remember?"

Naruto slowly looked at the ground again. He was silent for a few moments, before he looked up again with a grin on his face.

"If he was my friend," Naruto began. Hikari looked at him, a small smile on her face. Naruto continued. "I'd invite him to eat ramen with me… and then I'd make him pay for it."

Hikari laughed.

XXX

Hikari quietly opened the door to the room Team Seven shared, and peeked inside. She saw only two people.

"Hiya." she said cheerfully, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey, Hikari." Sakura replied, while Sasuke gave a small nod. Hikari frowned at the latter.

"Sasuke, you still haven't bandaged those wounds?" she asked worriedly. Sasuke shrugged.

"It's not necessary."

Hikari blinked. "Sakura, where are the bandages?"

"At the bottom of my bag."

Sasuke scowled at the two girls as they walked over to Sakura's small bag. "You know, Sasuke," Hikari said. "You really shouldn't have left those unattended as long as you did. It's late afternoon. For all we know, half of those cuts could be infected, you idiot. Then you'll really die." she finished, tossing Sakura rolls of bandages, a box of band-aids, antiseptic, and a washcloth.

Just then, Naruto walked into the room. He stopped for a second, glanced at Sasuke, and then turned to walk back out.

"Naruto, wait!" Hikari called. Naruto turned around and found himself holding a roll of bandages. Hikari motioned for him to come over. "We've got a lot of work to do, so come and help." she said. Naruto hesitated for a moment, and then walked over to his teammates.

"Sasuke, hold still." Sakura said, attempting to place some band-aids on his face; there were five cuts that needed one. "Gosh, you have so many cuts…"

"Oh, that's not it. He's got some on his arms, too." Hikari said. She pointed to his arm warmers, which were stained with blood. "Hm, Sasuke, you really should take those off so we can bandage your arms."

"…Hn."

Hikari blinked and sighed, moving over to sit on one side of Sasuke. "Naruto, I'll take off this arm warmer," she said, reaching for the buckle of said object. "And you can take off that one. Because Sasuke is lazy. But, as a fair warning, when the band-aids on his face can come off, I will whip them off. And then, he will have red marks on his face. And I will laugh."

Naruto laughed as he struggled with Sasuke's other arm warmer, and Sakura giggled, placing the last band-aid on Sasuke's face. Sakura then looked over at Naruto and sighed. "Naruto, you've just tightened the buckle. I think you're cutting off Sasuke's circulation."

Naruto grinned at her. "Exactly." he said, and found himself having to dodge a blow aimed at his head.

Hikari laughed as she began to bandage Sasuke's arm. "Relax, Sasuke. You can beat up Naruto later. Much later…"

Sakura looked at her questioningly. "Much later…? You make it sound as if we'll be here for a while."

Hikari nodded. "Well, Sasuke has a lot of wounds. Besides his face and arms, there are his shoulders, back, stomach, and chest."

Sakura's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "What?! Sasuke, it's no wonder we thought you were dead!!!"

Sasuke avoided everybody else's eyes and murmured, "It doesn't really matter."

Hikari had to restrain from pulling Sasuke's hair, for she promised she wouldn't (Even though he didn't know that.). "Don't be so stupid, Sasuke. Of course it matters; we don't want you to die." she said, her statement earning agreeing nods from Sakura and Naruto. Hikari looked up to see Sasuke looking anywhere else but his teammates. Hikari also saw that the tips of his ears were turning pink. She chuckled and pinched his cheek affectionately, which earned her an irritated glare. She grinned.

"Now _that's _the Sasuke we know and love."

XXX

"Uh… I see a sword."

"Where?"

"Right there, see?"

"Uh… oh! I see it! What about you, Sakura?"

"Um… I see… a circle."

Hikari snorted and laughed at her friend. Team Seven was playing a game on the balcony; it involved the concept of who could spot the best pictures in the stars. It was a bit like a connect-the-dots sort of thing.

"Sakura, next to Sasuke, you have the suckiest imagination." Hikari said, earning her a glare and an indignant, 'Hey!'

"Well alright, you do better!" Sakura challenged, poking her tongue out at the golden eyed girl. Hikari shook her head and sat on the banister of the balcony.

"Nah, it's Naruto's turn. And Naruto, you've already said cup ramen, a bowl of ramen, a pot of ramen, and the guy who runs the ramen _stand_. Nothing associated with ramen, please."

Naruto groaned, but agreed anyways. He turned his cerulean eyes to the starry sky above and thought for a moment. Then, a grin spread on his face, and he raised his arm and pointed his index finger skyward. Hikari watched as he proceeded to connect the stars into a shape. When he was done, Hikari raised an eyebrow. She opened her mouth to speak, but someone else beat her to it.

"A rectangle?" Sasuke asked from his position against the wall. Naruto shrugged.

"Something like that, but a bit more specific."

"You know what specific means?"

Before Sasuke and Naruto started bickering again, Sakura asked, "Well, what did you see?"

Naruto blinked at her. "You can't guess?" he asked. Sakura thought for a moment, then shook her head no, as did Hikari. Naruto grinned.

"It's Kakashi-sensei's Icha Icha book."

Hikari's eyes grew wide before she laughed so hard she toppled off the balcony and into the water below. There was a loud splash, and when the rest of the team looked over the balcony, they saw only bubbles in the water.

"Hikari!" Sakura called. The bubbles disappeared. Sakura's eyes widened. "Crap…"

Suddenly, there was another loud splash, and the golden eyed girl emerged from the water, panting and laughing.

"N-Naruto… You have a sick mind." Hikari said, still laughing. Naruto grinned, and in a few seconds, found himself laughing as well. Sakura tried to hold back her laughter, but wound up joining Naruto and Hikari anyways. And, though he tried to resist, Sasuke found the corners of his lips twitching upwards to form a smirk.

Yes, Team Seven was like one big, dysfunctional family.

XXX

A few days later, Hikari burst through the door of Team Seven's room, soaking wet and panting. From her place on the floor, Sakura looked up from the book she had been reading.

"Hikari, were you out in the rain?"

Hikari nodded, wringing her hair out. "Yeah, I was taking a walk. But don't worry, the rain stopped just in time for sunset." Hikari stopped talking as she blinked at the other person in the room. "Hey, Sasuke, you're all better."

The raven haired boy scoffed as if to say, 'Obviously.' Hikari shrugged.

"Well, anyways, there's someplace I think we should all go. Will you guys help me find Naruto and Kakashi-sensei?" Hikari asked. Sakura nodded and put away her book. Sasuke responded with his usual grunt, but stood up to follow his two teammates anyway.

"Say, Hikari, where exactly are we supposed to go after we find Naruto and Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. Hikari glanced over her shoulder at her friend.

"You'll see."

XXX

And so, as the sun set beyond the Country of the wave, five people stood on a little cliff where two grave markers and a large sword stood.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei…"

"Hm?" the silver haired Jounin responded to his pink-haired student.

Sakura looked up from her place in front of Haku's grave. "Were these two right about ninjas?" she asked, a frown on her face.

"A shinobi isn't supposed to pursue his own goals." Kakashi said. At this, Hikari looked up at her place in front of Zabuza's grave. "Existing as a tool is most important. It is even the same for the Leaf Village."

"But, Kakashi-sensei… That just isn't right, to use someone's life like that…" Hikari murmured sadly.

Naruto turned to look at his sensei, a sad expression on his face. "Kakashi-sensei, is that really what it means to become a true ninja?" Naruto bowed his head. "You know… You know what, I don't like that at all!"

Sasuke looked at Kakashi. "You believe that too?"

Kakashi tilted his head to the side. "Well… That's why each and every ninja has to live while dealing with that issue. Just like Zabuza… and that boy."

Hikari bowed her head, feeling her eyes fill up with tears at the mention of those two people. And for a few moments, Naruto looked quite solemn as well.

"Okay!"

All of Naruto's teammates looked towards him curiously. Naruto grinned.

"I've decided! I'm going to be a ninja in my own way! I am going to run straight down the path of no regrets!"

"… Oi, Naruto!"

Naruto looked at Hikari questioningly. Hikari smiled.

"If you chose to live like that, then it's obvious. I think that someday, you will be the greatest Hokage." she said. Naruto blinked, and then grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

"You'd better believe it!"

XXX

It was a fine, sunny day, and it was also time for Team Seven to head back home. At the bridge, Tazuna and the others were there to wish them farewell.

"Thanks to you, we've completed the bridge, but… It is sad to see you all go." Tazuna said.

"Take care." Tsunami said.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Thank you for everything."

"Don't worry, Tazuna-san. We'll come visit." Naruto said, a grin on his face. Hikari nodded in agreement.

Inari nodded his head and spoke, his voice shaking a little. "Y-you swear?" Tazuna placed a hand on the boy's head as Inari tried to hold back tears.

Then, when Naruto spoke, his voice was shaky as well. "Inari… Y-you're sad, right? I-it's alright to cry! Cry." At his words, Hikari clapped a hand over her mouth to hide a knowing smile.

"I-I'm not going to cry!" Inari shouted. "But, you know, you can if you want to, Naruto!" Inari's voice was becoming shakier.

"N-No… you first!" Naruto pressed, his voice sounding strangled. Hikari's smile grew bigger, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

Both boys tried to last longer than the other, but then Naruto shouted, "Later!" and turned around, allowing some of the tears to run down his face. Hikari bit her cheek harder, and Sakura glared.

_'Geez, always has to act tough…' _

Before Team Seven set out, Hikari turned around and said, "Hey, Tazuna-san, have you thought of a name for the bridge yet?"

Tazuna placed a hand on his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh! I knew there was something I forgot!"

Seeing opportunity, Hikari grinned and ran over to the old man. She motioned for him to come closer, and when he did, she whispered something into his ear.

Tazuna grinned and stood up straight as Hikari ran back to her teammates. "You know, I think you just gave me the perfect name for the bridge, Hikari!"

Hikari let out a laugh and waved a hand in farewell, and then she hurried to catch up with her teammates.

"Yes, the perfect name…" Tazuna murmured. Behind him a worker called out.

"What's the name?"

Tazuna smiled. "It's a name that represents courage, and hope… a name that is placed in the hope that this bridge never crumbles… A name that will one day be recognized throughout the world…"

Far in front of the small crowd, Team Seven continued to walk across the grand bridge. Naruto looked towards Hikari, a curious expression on his face.

"Hey, hey, Hikari! What did you tell Tazuna-san? What's the name of the bridge going to be?" he asked. Curious about the matter themselves, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi turned their head towards Hikari and awaited an answer.

Hikari smiled. "Well, I think you'll be happy to know… That right now… Team Seven has the honor to be the first to cross…"

Naruto jumped up and down. "Yeah, yeah?!" Naruto exclaimed. Hikari laughed.

"The Great Naruto Bridge."

XXX

**Author's Note: Ta da! I hope you enjoyed the ending of the Wave Country arc. Of course, you all know what's to happen next… **

**The Chuunin Exams… will begin! **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated, **

**Fate **


	15. Enter The Sand Shinobi!

**Author's Note: Alright, this chapter marks the beginning of the Chuunin Exams! I hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Sasuke never would have left Konoha to go seek power from an anime version of Michael Jackson. **

XXX

"This isn't fair." Sakura pouted as Hikari aimed another punch at her hands, which were glowing with the Suishoku Shield. She, Hikari, and Sasuke were waiting on the bridge for their sensei.

Hikari shrugged. "Well, Kakashi-sensei's always late. But on the bright side, you get to practice the Suishoku Shield. You're getting better at it, even though you haven't mastered it yet."

Sakura blushed slightly at the praise. "Thanks, Hikari."

Hikari smiled as she aimed another punch at the chakra shield and found it deflected. "You know, if you keep this up, soon I might be able to teach you how to push out the chakra so it can block and push back enemies as well."

Sakura looked shocked. "I- I've improved that much?"

"Hmm, well, what do you think Sasuke? Has she improved?" Hikari asked, despite Sakura shaking her head wildly at her golden eyed friend.

Sasuke looked over from his place against the railing. "… I suppose." was the short answer. Turning so her back was to Sasuke, Hikari grinned at Sakura and gave her a thumbs up.

Hikari had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the expression on Sakura's face. Suddenly, loud footsteps were heard approaching, and when Hikari looked behind Sakura, she saw Naruto running towards everybody, waving.

"Oi, Naruto! Morning!" she called, waving her arm in the air. Naruto skidded to a stop beside Sakura and Hikari.

"Good morning, Sakura! Good morning, Hikari." he said cheerfully. Then, Naruto glared past her. Sakura and Hikari turned their heads to see that Naruto was glaring at Sasuke, and he was glaring back.

Sakura looked irritated and Hikari sighed. _'All that crap we went through in the Country of the Wave, and they **still **act like morons…'_ She mouthed the word, 'Boys,' and then pretended to gag. Sakura giggled.

XXX

Five hours later…

"Hi, guys! Good morning. Sorry I'm late, but I got lost on the road of life…" Kakashi cut off his sentence as he stared at the girls on his team. Sakura and Hikari were both panting and sitting against the rail of the bridge, looking worn out.

"What happened to you two?"

Hikari looked up and grinned. "Since you were so late, Sakura took the opportunity to train."

Kakashi nodded and was about to comment when a certain blonde ninja popped up in front of him.

"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei! Lately, all of our team's missions have been way too easy! I want a more exciting one! Where I can shine, and follow my ninja path!!!" Naruto exclaimed. Hikari could practically see the fire of determination burning in his eyes.

However, she chuckled and joked, "Someone ate a lot of sugar this morning."

Kakashi looked at his pupil. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah… I pretty much know what you're going to say…"

Naruto turned around just then to glare at Sasuke. Sasuke opened his eyes and glared back, and Sakura looked extremely irritated.

Hikari sighed and lay back onto the ground. "Is it possible for me to push both of you morons off this bridge?" she murmured weakly.

"Hey, come on you guys. Naruto, stop fantasizing and let's get moving!" Kakashi shouted.

"YEAH!!!"

Sakura sighed from her place beside Hikari. "How annoying…"

Hikari snickered. "Sakura, you've been spending too much time around Sasuke."

XXX

Later in the day, Team Seven's mission was to help a lady rid her garden of weeds. While on the job, Naruto kept shooting furious glances at Sasuke. _'I won't lose…'_ he thought confidently as he began to rapidly pull up everything in sight.

"Er, Naruto…" Hikari whispered. "You might want to be more care-"

"Sorry, no time to chat. I gotta pull up more weeds, I gotta!" Naruto interrupted. Hikari blinked and sighed.

_'He's going to get his ass kicked later…' _

XXX

"Hey, you… The kid in the orange…"

"Huh? Oh hey, lady. I got all the weeds! Uh… Lady? What's wrong?"

"…Those weren't weeds."

"Huh?"

"Those were the herbs I was growing in my garden!"

"What?! H-hey, hey lady… O-OUCH!!!"

From her place with the rest of the team, Hikari sighed and clapped a hand over her forehead protector. "I tried to warn him…"

XXX

Team Seven's second mission was to clean up a local river. Hikari waded cautiously in the water and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I can't believe how many nasty things people throw in the river…" she murmured, tossing a can and a plastic wrapper into the basket she carried on her back.

Sakura shrugged and said, "Some people…"

There was a splash and Sakura looked over to find Hikari sitting in the river, water up to her stomach and a dazed expression on her face. Hikari blinked and shook it away before digging around in the river and pulling up the squished can that she had slipped on. As Sakura and Hikari began to laugh, there was another splash heard, as well as some screams. The rest of the team looked over to see Naruto flailing in the water and being carried away by the current.

Hikari's eyes bugged. "Isn't he heading for…?"

"Crap."

Naruto soon went sailing over the edge of the waterfall, screaming his lungs out. Only… he wasn't falling. He looked up to find Sasuke grabbing onto his ankle with one hand, and holding onto a rope with the other.

"Usuratonkachi…"

XXX

By mid afternoon, Hikari felt very sorry for Naruto. He'd been beat up, nearly fallen to his death, and he very recently got dragged into a trap field. At the moment, he was currently being supported by Sakura and Sasuke, while Hikari walked behind them.

"You really shouldn't push yourself so much, Naruto." Sakura chastised him.

Sasuke smirked. "Can't you even take care of yourself?" At this, Naruto growled and pulled away. A small smack was heard, and Sasuke glared back at Hikari.

"Hmph, I said I wouldn't pull your hair or give you noogies. Never said I wouldn't hit you." Hikari said, crossing her arms childishly.

Kakashi sighed. "Teamwork seems to be suffering lately…"

"Yeah, yeah! You're the one disrupting our teamwork, teme! Always hogging the spotlight!" Naruto shouted to Sasuke, who was currently walking away from the group.

"That's you, usuratonkachi. If you want me to stop making you look bad, then get stronger than me."

Hikari rolled her eyes and walked behind Sasuke. "That's enough, you two." she said, pushing Sasuke back towards the group. "Now look, whether you like it or not, you're teammates. However, if you keep this up, Sakura and I will beat the shit out of both of you, got it?" she said intensely, holding up a chakra infused fist. "Now, unless you want this embedded in your faces, work together."

Naruto and Sasuke continued to glare at each other, despite the threat. Kakashi sighed. _'Not even Hikari can get them to work together. That's surprising…' _

"Hey, you guys, we'll just call it a day. I have to submit the mission report anyways." Kakashi said.

Sasuke sighed. "In that case, I'm going home."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she ran up to him. "Hey! Hey, Sasuke… how about we work on our teamwork? Uh… just the two of us?" she asked hopefully.

Sasuke turned to look at her and sighed. "You're the same as Naruto. If you have time to bother me, then train more. Frankly, your ability is worth than Naruto's. Even with your pathetic attempt at making a chakra shield. Now that I think about it, I suppose you really haven't improved at all." he said harshly. Sakura's eyes began to tear up slightly, and Hikari noticed this.

"Sasuke, you _JERK_!!!" Hikari shouted. He turned and scoffed at her. Hikari growled.

"Hey, Hey! Sakura! Forget Sasuke, let's train together!" Naruto shouted. Kakashi's visible eye widened, and he disappeared with a poof.

Hikari blanched. _'He's a pervert, but he's wise…' _

Hikari raised an eyebrow as a rectangular shape with two circles in it began to chase Naruto. Naruto began to run around until he turned and caught the strange thing following him. "What kind of rock is square with two holes?!" he demanded, pointing a finger at the odd thing on the ground.

Hikari rolled her eyes and did a double take. Smirking evilly, she jumped up and landed silently onto a tree branch. Leaning against the trunk, she chuckled.

"Thought you said you were going home."

Hikari laughed when Sasuke started and nearly fell out of the tree. "Should've known you were lying. You suck at it."

Sasuke glared at her, and then turned his gaze to the ground where a series of loud bangs sounded. Colored smoke rose into the air as the strange figure Naruto was staring at earlier turned into three hacking kids.

"Pathetic…" came the monotone murmur. Hikari rolled her eyes and sat down on the bench.

"I dunno, they look like adorable little kids." she said.

"… Are you delusional?"

"I dunno, did you just crack a joke?"

Sasuke glared at her, and she laughed. "Seriously though, what are you doing here?"

Sasuke shrugged. "It's pointless to go home if no one is there."

Hikari frowned and stared at him sadly. _'That's right…'_ Suddenly, shouts and a series of thuds came from below. Hikari and Sasuke looked down just in time to see Sakura surrounded by green chakra. She landed a punch to Naruto's face and sent him flying. Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, you see that? That's what you did, you jerk." Hikari said. Sasuke gave a grunt, but didn't reply otherwise. Hikari sighed and murmured, "I have no idea why Sakura bothers with you, and it's rather pointless…"

"Then you convince her to leave me alone."

Hikari blinked. "Huh? Oh, that's not what I meant. I meant it's rather pointless for her to offer you her affection when you clearly don't deserve it." Sasuke stiffened, and Hikari let out a low chuckle. _'Hm, who knew **that **would set him off… How curious.' _

"Hey, you ugly bitch!" came a shout from below. Hikari looked back down again to see that it was the boy with the long scarf, Konohamaru. Apparently he had said that to Sakura.

"Uh-oh…"

XXX

"OI!!! Sakura, no! You –OW!- you can't beat him up! He's a little kid!" Hikari protested. She had jumped down from the tree to stop Sakura from pummeling Konohamaru into a little smear on the ground, and performing said task was difficult, because Sakura wouldn't stop struggling.

Konohamaru pointed a finger at Sakura. "Yeah, you just try and get me! What are you and that ugly forehead going to do?"

Hikari's eyes widened as Sakura suddenly ran out of her grasp and was currently charging towards Konohamaru. "Sakura, WAIT!!!" she shouted, to no avail.

Konohamaru wailed in fear and promptly turned and started running, obviously forgetting to look where he was going…

"Ouch!" he cried as he crashed into something hard and fell back.

"Hey kid, that hurt…" came an unfamiliar voice. Everyone stopped and looked at the two unknown people standing before them. One was a guy, dressed all in black with purple kabuki makeup on his face. Beside him was a blond girl dressed in light purple clothing with a red sash around her waist. They weren't from Leaf Village.

Suddenly, the boy in black hauled Konohamaru up by his scarf.

"Konohamaru!" Naruto called, stepping forward.

"That hurt, you little piece of shit…" the boy murmured. Hikari ran forward.

"Hey, leave him alone! It was an accident!"

"You'd better not, Kankurou. We'll get yelled at later." the blond girl said.

Sakura stepped forward, a pleading look on her face. "Please don't, it's not his fault! I was messing around…"

"Yeah, let go of him!!!" Naruto shouted angrily. Kankurou smirked.

"Come on, let's play a little before the boss gets here…" he murmured. Hikari growled and ran at him, but found herself hoisted into the air like Konohamaru. "Trying something, little girl?"

Konohamaru growled and began to kick at Kankurou's stomach. Kankurou sighed. "Little brat…" He tightened his hold.

Hikari growled and wheezed, "Drop… him… now." Kankurou smirked and tightened his hold on Konohamaru even more.

Naruto growled and shouted, "You bastard!" He ran forward, but Kankurou slightly loosened his hold on Konohamaru just enough to move his fingers. Naruto suddenly fell back, and Kankurou's grip tightened again. "You Leaf Genin are weak…"

Hikari grunted and aimed a kick at Kankurou, but he swung her away and it didn't land. He chuckled.

"I don't know… who you think you are… But let Konohamaru go!" she shouted. Kankurou responded by tightening his grip on both of them.

"Hm… no, I don't think I will. I hate midgets… Makes me want to break them." he murmured menacingly. Hikari and Konohamaru both grunted in pain and shock.

"Oh well…" the blond girl sighed. "I'm not involved."

"Well, after this one…" Kankurou continued, shaking Konohamaru. He looked at Hikari. "You're next."

Suddenly, a rock came sailing through the air and struck Kankurou's arm- the one holding Konohamaru. Kankurou grunted and looked in the direction the rock came from.

"What are you bastards doing in our village?" Sasuke asked from his place in the tree. He was holding another rock, tossing it up and down.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried joyously. Hikari chuckled.

"Lovely aim, Sasuke, but aren't you forgetting that he's going to throttle me now?" she groaned, clawing at the hand gripping her.

"Hm, not another annoying brat…" Kankurou murmured, squeezing Hikari's throat. She screamed in pain.

"…Drop her." Sasuke ordered. Kankurou smirked.

"Nah… she's too pretty to drop. I might… break her. Besides, what are you going to do about it?" he hissed dangerously. Sasuke tightened his grip on the rock, and when he opened his hand, mere dust fluttered out. Squeals were heard from Sakura, and Naruto growled.

_'Dammit, not again…' _

Hikari growled and struggled in Kankurou's grasp. He tightened his hold on her and she wheezed.

"Let… go… of me…" she hissed. Kankurou chuckled, and Hikari aimed another kick at him, this time infused with chakra. He swung her out of the way once more and shook her violently, as if she were a doll.

"Kankurou… Drop the girl." came a new, menacing voice. Sasuke started, and everyone else looked up in the tree. A boy with red hair and icy blue eyes was standing upside down on one of the branches.

"You're an embarrassment to our village. Now… _drop the girl_." he hissed. Kankurou's eyes widened and he immediately dropped Hikari, who coughed and massaged her now bruised throat.

"Ga… Gaara…" he murmured, his voice sounding nervous, though he was smiling.

Hikari coughed and looked up at the red haired boy._ '…That's Gaara?'_

"You're an embarrassment to our village." Gaara repeated. "What do you think we came here to do?"

"L-listen Gaara… Th-these guys started it…" Kankurou stammered. Hikari stood up and pumped chakra into her hand, preparing to hit Kankurou with it, but Gaara's voice stopped her.

"Shut up, Kankurou." His eyes narrowed.

"I'll kill you."

Kankurou made a fearful sound in the back of his throat. "I- I got it. It won't happen again. Sorry."

"Hmph, you really should be apologizing to the ones who nearly got strangled…" Hikari murmured, still rubbing her throat.

At this, Gaara looked down at the golden eyed girl. "Apologies to all of you." he murmured. Hikari looked up at him, and smiled kindly.

"Ah, I should be thanking you though. You helped me." Hikari bowed respectfully. "Arigatou, Gaara-san."

Gaara stared at her for a brief moment- as if contemplating her or something about her. But then, he turned into sand and disappeared from the tree, and then reappeared on the ground beside Kankurou and the blond girl.

"Let's go." he said. "We didn't come here to play around."

"I know that…" Kankurou muttered as the trio began to walk away. Suddenly, Sakura ran forward.

"Hey, wait!"

The trio stopped, but didn't turn around. "What?" asked the blond girl.

"Judging from your forehead protectors, you guys are from the Hidden Sand Village, right?" Sakura continued. "The Fire Country and Wind Country may be allies, but it is forbidden for shinobi to enter each other's villages without permission. What is your purpose for being here?" Sakura asked.

The group of Sand shinobi turned around, and the blond girl sighed. "Talk about living under a rock! Don't you know _anything_?"

Hikari growled and clenched her fists, making them glow with golden chakra. The blond warily glanced at her, but ignored it anyway. "Here's my passport." she said, holding up said object. Hikari looked at the name.

_'Temari…' _

Temari smiled. "You're right. We're genin of the Hidden Sand of the Wind Country. We've come to your village to take the Chuunin Selection Exam."

"Chuunin Selection Exam?" Naruto said, confused. "What is this Chuunin Selection Exam?"

Temari crossed her arms and smirked. "You really don't know anything."

"Naruto nii-chan, if you pass that exam, you go from being a genin to a chuunin." Konohamaru said. Naruto looked excited.

"Really?! Maybe I should take it, too!"

Gaara scoffed and his group turned back around. Sasuke jumped down from the tree and called, "Hey, you! Who exactly are you?"

Temari turned around and smiled hopefully. "You mean me?"

Sasuke shook his head and pointed past her. "No, the one with the gourd."

Gaara slowly turned back around and replied, "Gaara of the Desert. I'm also interested in you. Your name?"

Sasuke smirked. "It's Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hey, hey, what about me?" Naruto asked, grinning confidently. Gaara scoffed.

"Not interested."

With that, the Sand shinobi turned and left.

As Naruto and Sasuke began to bicker again, Hikari shivered, although there wasn't a breeze, and it was July.

_'Something's not…'_ Hikari blinked and turned quickly to gaze up into another tree. Nothing was there. Sakura glanced at her friend curiously, and noticed her troubled expression.

"Is something wrong, Hikari?" she asked. Hikari continued to stare at the tree.

"I thought I saw… Ah, never mind. It was probably a bird or a squirrel." she murmured.

_'But, if they're here… Then that means **he's **here. And that means…'_

Hikari pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind as she turned around and smiled at her teammates. But when she glanced at Sasuke, there was a troubled gleam in her eyes that hadn't been there before.

XXX

**Author's Note: Uh-oh, Hikari's evil senses are tingling… lol. Well, anyway, I hope you all liked that chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated. **

**Fate **


	16. Tests For Team Seven

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

XXX

Hikari sighed as she listened to Sakura and Naruto rant on about how annoying it was that Kakashi was always late. Beside her, Sasuke was just looking irritated.

_'Why does there have to be such high tension with them in the morning?' _he thought.

_'Wish I knew. Maybe I could get them to shut up.' _Hikari's voice rang out in his head. Sasuke looked over at her.

"Do you do that just to annoy me?" he bit out. Hikari grinned.

"Yep."

Just then, Kakashi appeared on the bridge. "Hi everyone! Sorry I'm late; I got lost on the road of life again."

"YEAH RIGHT! LIAR!!!" Naruto and Sakura shouted simultaneously. Hikari chuckled.

"Well, this is sudden," Kakashi said, jumping down to his students. "And I had to pull a few strings to do it, but I've nominated you guys for the Chuunin Selection Exams." Kakashi held out four pieces of paper. "Here are your applications."

"The Chuunin Exams…" Sakura murmured, as if she couldn't believe it.

"Well, this is just a nomination. It's up to you whether or not to take the exam." Kakashi informed them.

"Yeah!" Naruto shouted, running forward. "Kakashi-sensei, you rock!!!" he exclaimed, grabbing their sensei by the neck and hugging him. Hikari laughed at Naruto's antics.

"Hey, hey, let go. Those who wish to take the Chuunin Selection Exams should sign those applications and take them to room 301 of the academy by 3 P.M. six days from now. That is all." Kakashi said, handing his students their applications.

Naruto grinned and laughed. "Chuunin Exams, Chuunin Exams…"

Hikari took hers and read it aloud.

"Hikari."

"The above person, under the name of Hatake Kakashi, has been nominated for the Chuunin Selection Exams."

"Signed,"

"Jounin,"

"Hatake Kakashi."

Hikari sighed. "Can't wait…"

XXX

"The Chuunin Exams, huh?" Naruto murmured for the umpteenth time that day. Team Seven was currently walking along the bridge, heading home. "There's going to be a lot of strong guys in this thing."

As Team Seven kept walking, Sakura fell back. Hikari glanced over her shoulder and saw her friend wearing a sad expression. She stopped and turned around. "Sakura, is something wrong?" she asked, causing Naruto and Sasuke to stop and look back as well.

Sakura started and looked up. _'I… I can't let them know how I feel. They'll be so disappointed…' _

"Ah, it's nothing Hikari! But, I've… uh, I've got to go home now! Um… can we train later today?" Sakura asked nervously.

Hikari blinked. "Uh, sure! But-"

"Thanks! Bye!" Sakura shouted, running off before Hikari could say anything else. The golden eyed girl stared after her friend.

"Oi, do you guys know what's going on with Sakura?" Hikari asked the two boys next to her. They both shook their heads.

_'… I hope she's okay.' _

XXX

"Ouch, Sakura, I'm all sore…" Hikari groaned. It was sunset, and she and Sakura had been training all afternoon. Both girls were sore, dirty, and completely worn out.

"Ah… Well, no pain, no gain… Wow." Sakura said, stopping short. Hikari blinked and her jaw dropped as well.

The two friends were near the gates of Konoha, and there were numerous ninja passing into the city at the moment.

"All of these people are taking the Chuunin Exams?" Sakura whispered shrilly.

"I guess so." Hikari murmured. Suddenly, a chill swept through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

"Hikari? Are you okay?" Sakura asked. Hikari looked up.

"Ah, I'm alright. No big deal." she replied, a smile on her face. But, out of the corner of her eyes, scanned the large crowd of foreign ninja, hoping to catch a glimpse...

_'No, I'm not okay. This can't go wrong…'_ Hikari looked up at the sky, which was slowly turning a light red. Hikari bit her lip.

_'…For all your sakes.' _

XXX

"Oi, do you believe that stupid preliminary test they put us through?" Hikari asked Sasuke and Naruto as Team Seven waited for Sakura to appear. Naruto shook his head and laughed.

"Well, I kicked some ass, that's for sure! That weird ninja didn't stand a chance against me!" Naruto boasted. Hikari chuckled.

"I'm sure that's true, Naruto." Hikari said, then a grin spread over her face. "Sakura! Ohayo!"

Naruto turned and grinned at the pink haired kunoichi. "Sakura, you're late!"

Sakura walked up to her team and smiled apologetically, giving a small wave. "Yeah… sorry." she replied softly. Suddenly, she frowned and looked at Sasuke. "… Ohayo, Sasuke." she murmured. Sasuke glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey." he replied, though his eyes narrowed slightly. _'Sakura… something's wrong with her.'_

Hikari noticed her friend's strange behavior as well, and she frowned. "Hey Sakura… did something bad happen to you in the surprise preliminary test? Did they do something to you?"

Sakura looked up, startled for a moment. Then, she put on a fake smile and said cheerfully, "Oh, that thing? Ah, it was easy! I saw right through it! Trust me, I'm fine."

Hikari nodded and then glanced at Sasuke. _'You... You know she's lying, right?' _

_'…Yeah.' _

XXX

Team Seven walked through the doors of the second floor of the academy to see two guys blocking a door. One of them was speaking.

"A Chuunin is the level of military platoon captains. The failure of a mission, the death of a soldier… that is all the captain's responsibility. Yet kids like you think… Well, we're only thinning out those who will fail anyway. What's wrong with that?" the guy said, almost mockingly.

Sasuke walked forward, his teammates following. "I agree, but… You'll let me pass through, and also remove this genjutsu-created surrounding. I'm going to the third floor."

A few shinobi turned to each other, confused. "What's that guy talking about?"

"I don't know…"

The guy in front of Sasuke frowned. "So you noticed?"

Sasuke smirked and glanced behind him. "Sakura, you must have noticed it first though, right?" Sakura looked up at him, surprised. "After all, your analytical ability and genjutsu know-how are the most improved on our team." he praised her. Behind him, Hikari smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow.

_'Hm, someone is finally getting it…' _

Sakura looks surprised that she would be praised by Sasuke, but she found courage from his words and smiled. "Thank you, Sasuke. Of course! I already noticed. Because this is the second floor."

Naruto nodded. "Yep."

Suddenly, the image of the sign changed from 301 to 201, and one of the guys smirked. "Heh. Not bad… But all you did was see through it." Suddenly, the guy prepared to flip and kick Sasuke. But before he could, a hand was gripping his ankle.

"If you try to hurt my friends…" Hikari spoke menacingly, tightening her grip on the guy's ankle. "You'll be sorry, punk." she finished, tossing the guy to the ground.

After the guy left, a boy in a green outfit walked up to Hikari. "That was a nice move." he commented. Hikari was about to respond when the boy's teammates walked up to him.

"Hey, what happened to the plan? You're the one who said we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves." said a boy with pearl colored eyes.

"Well…" the boy in green said, looking to the side. Suddenly, he blushed and fixated his eyes on Sakura. He walked up to her and announced, "My name is Rock Lee. So, yours is Sakura…" he trailed off slightly. Then, Lee gave Sakura a thumbs up and said, "Let's go out!"

Hikari looked past Sasuke's shoulder to see Sakura's expression. She immediately clapped a hand over her mouth and tried not to burst out in hysterical laughter.

Sakura paled. "No… Way…" Lee's face fell, and Sakura grimaced. "You're lame." By then, Hikari had turned away, and was fiercely biting the inside of her cheek.

"Hey you…" a voice called. Sasuke turned around to see Lee's two teammates coming towards him. The boy with the pearl colored eyes spoke. "What's your name?"

"When you want to learn someone's name, you should give yours first." Sasuke replied coolly.

"You're a rookie, right? How old are you?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't have to answer to you."

The boy growled. "What?" Sasuke scoffed again and turned back to his team. Lee and Naruto were leaning against the wall, sulking. Hikari chuckled.

"Gee, Sakura. You're a true heartbreaker." Hikari teased. Sakura smacked her shoulder.

"Not funny. But come on you guys! Sasuke, Naruto, let's go!" she said cheerfully. Hikari grinned and laughed.

"Let's do this!"

XXX

Hikari sighed as she walked along. "Man, first a stupid preliminary test, and then those guys back there? This just-"

"Hey, you! Wait a minute!" a familiar voice called. Team Seven turned around to see Rock Lee standing on a balcony, looking down at them.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked.

"Will you fight me, right here, right now?" Lee asked.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Fight you right here, right now?" he repeated.

"Yes." Lee said, jumping down from the balcony and landing gracefully. "I am Rock Lee." he said. "You're supposed to identify yourself before you ask for someone else's name, right… Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed even more. "So you know my name."

Lee got into a fighting stance. "I would like to fight you. I would like to see how my moves do against a descendant of the genius ninja clan. Also…" Lee looked towards Sakura, and she cringed.

"Sakura-san…" he said, a blush making it's way onto his cheeks. "I love you."

Sakura screamed in horror, and Hikari doubled over with laughter. "Ew!!! Your hairstyle, those fuzzy eyebrows, and everything about you is just CREEPY!!!" she shrieked, shivering.

"I think I'm going to pass out…" Hikari murmured between laughs. More tears of mirth began to gather in her eyes as Sakura shrieked when Rock Lee began to blow her kisses.

"Stop!!! You're so creepy!!!"

Sasuke ignored his teammates as he switched the subject back to Lee's offer. "So, you're challenging me knowing my name is Uchiha? I'm sorry to say this, but you're ignorant. Do you really want to see what this name of Uchiha is capable of, fuzzy eyebrows?" he taunted.

Lee got back into a fighting stance. "Please."

"Wait!"

All eyes turned to Naruto, who was scowling at Lee. "I want to fight him first." he said.

"Naruto, you shouldn't butt in…" Sakura murmured, frowning.

"Don't worry, it'll only take five minutes." he said confidently.

"I don't want to fight you, I want to fight an Uchiha." Lee protested.

Naruto growled and charged at Lee. "I'm sick of this! It's always about Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, aiming a punch at Lee. Lee stepped forward, and with a simple tap on the wrist, he had sent Naruto's punch to the ground.

Naruto growled and supported himself on his hands as he aimed a kick to Lee's face. Lee dodged it with ease and dropped to the ground. As he squatted, he spun around in a swift kick, calling out, "Konoha Wind Strike!" His kick caused Naruto to spin and smack painfully into the wall. He slumped to the ground.

Lee stood up. "I will declare this now. You cannot defeat me." he said. "Because… I am the strongest of the Konoha Genins right now."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but he smirked. "Interesting. I'll accept your challenge."

Sakura frowned and looked at the clock. "Don't, Sasuke. We have less than half an hour to turn in our applications."

"Don't worry," he reassured her. "It'll only take five minutes."

With that, Sasuke ran at Lee. He jumped and aimed a punch at his opponent's face, but was met with nothing but air. And suddenly, Lee was in the air, dropping down towards him.

"Konoha Whirlwind!" he shouted, aiming a kick at Sasuke's face. Sasuke ducked, and as Lee passed by him, he supported himself on the ground with one hand and aimed another kick. Sasuke's eyes widened.

_'I can't dodge… I have to block it…'_ Sasuke realized, placing his arms in front of him in a defensive stance.

The kick hit him right in the face.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out as the raven haired boy flew back and smacked into the ground. Hikari's eyes widened, and she ran over to help him stand.

"Sasuke, maybe you shouldn't-"

"No." he cut her off. "I've got something else up my sleeve… I'll show him." Sasuke said, standing up fully and smirking. Hikari raised an eyebrow and nodded, stepping back. Sasuke closed his eyes and bowed his head. When he looked back up, his once onyx eyes were now the scarlet Sharingan.

Harnessing the ability of the powerful doujutsu, Sasuke charged at Lee once more. _'Whatever techniques he's using… I'll see right through it.'_

What he obviously _didn't _see was the swift upward kick that hit him right in the face.

Sakura's and Hikari's eyes widened in shock as they watched their teammate being sent flying through the air. Sakura was the most shocked. _'His Sharingan was…!' _

Lee smirked. "Hm, my moves are neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu." he declared, running at Sasuke. Naruto chose that moment to regain consciousness, and he saw his teammate trying to dodge Lee's swift kicks and punches. Eventually, Lee managed to grab one of Sasuke's wrists, and he used his free arm to elbow the Uchiha painfully in the gut. Sasuke grunted in pain and stepped back.

Lee turned to face his opponent. "You see… my moves are only taijutsu. Sasuke…" Lee disappeared and reappeared right behind Sasuke. "You may not be able to believe it right away, but…"

"Damn it!" Sasuke swore, attempting to punch Lee. He dodged and appeared a few more feet behind Sasuke.

"I hear that the Sharingan has the ability to see through genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. You can definitely see through and deal with genjutsu and ninjutsu that require forming seals and kneading chakra… But for taijutsu, it's a little different." Lee said.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Even if you can see my movement with your Sharingan, your body does not have the speed to keep up with mine." Lee informed him. "In other words, there's no point even if you can see with your eyes, if you can't keep up with your body."

This time, Lee's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you know that there are genius-types and hard working-types among the strong? If your Sharingan is a genius-type that carries the blood of an Uchiha…"

Lee's words obviously angered Sasuke, because he began to run at his opponent again. Despite this, Lee continued. "I am a hard working-type that continuously improves my taijutsu." Sasuke attempted to punch Lee, but he dodged it.

"Your Sharingan, and my ultimate taijutsu skills are a bad combination." he finished, dodging a kick. This time, he delivered one of his own, and it struck Sasuke in the face and sent him flying once more. Lee dropped down to all fours, disappeared, and then reappeared in midair below Sasuke.

"Shadow Dance…" Sasuke realized.

"And I will prove to you with this move…" Lee began. With a flex of his hand, the bandages on it began to unravel. "…That hard work surpasses geniuses."

"I win!"

Suddenly, two objects whizzed by and pierced through Lee's bandages. One was a kunai, and the other a pinwheel. Lee's eyes widened. He didn't know who threw the kunai, but the pinwheel…

"That's…"

"Stop right there, Lee!" a gruff voice called. Lee pulled his bandages free from the binding objects and reappeared on the ground beside a magenta turtle, leaving Sasuke falling. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Sasuke!" she shouted, running and holding out her arms. She grunted as she caught her teammate and lost her balance, sliding a few feet away. Hikari gasped and ran over.

"Oi, are you two alright?!" she shouted. Sakura nodded, but turned to Sasuke.

Hikari sighed softly and walked over to the wall. She gripped kunai she had thrown by the handle and gave a quick jerk, pulling it from the wall and leaving a small hole. When she turned, Lee was shaking and apologizing to a turtle. She blinked.

_'Kami-sama, you created some real whack jobs, you know that?' _

XXX

Team Seven stared at their sensei as he stood in front of the door to room 301.

"I see…" Kakashi murmured. "So, you decided to show up… Sakura. That's good, because now you all can officially register for the Chuunin Exam."

Sakura blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi bowed his head. "Well, originally, the Chuunin Exams could only be taken in groups of three. However, since our team would've had three anyway, had one of you decided not to show up, it was either all of you show up, or else."

Sakura looked startled. "But, Kakashi-sensei… You said the choice to take the test or not was up to the individual."

"Yeah, I did."

"You lied?"

Kakashi looked away, out the window. "Yeah. If I had told you the truth, I'm pretty sure Naruto and Sasuke would have forced you into taking the test. I know Hikari wouldn't, because she is not as concerned about this thing as the boys are. Even if you didn't want to take the exam, Sakura… I knew if Sasuke asked you to, you would do it anyway. For Sasuke… and Naruto, and even Hikari. Probably because you thought you'd be letting your team down if you didn't participate in the exams."

"So… What would've happened if only Sasuke, Naruto, and Hikari had showed up?" Sakura asked.

"I would have prohibited them from taking the exam and not allowed them through these doors." Kakashi answered. "But, the four of you came here of your own free will. Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hikari…"

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Well done. I'm proud of you all. You are my team. Now, you may go." he finished, stepping aside.

"Alright, let's go!" Naruto called as Sakura and Sasuke pushed open the doors. Hesitantly, Hikari smiled.

_'Yeah… Let's do this.' _

XXX

**Author's Note: Mah, in my opinion, that chapter sucked. Hehe. Oh, by the way, as a heads up, I'm going to skip over the written exam and the interview done before the second exam, just cause it's pointless and wastes time. I mean, you cheat your brains out for no purpose at all, and then you talk to little kids with high voices. Dear God…**

**Oh, and I also skipped over the introduction of Gai because it was too traumatizing to write about. The horror of him striking a 'youthful' pose... -shudders-**

**Anyway, review please, and we'll get to the real action real soon! **

**Fate **


	17. Hikari's Threat

**Author's Note: Okay, I just want to say something; Spirit Seer, you totally rock! I absolutely loved the review you sent me in PM, and you just totally rock! **

**I am in an extremely good mood. X) **

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I be writing fanfiction? No, I would most certainly not... I'd be rich. X3 **

XXX

"Wow…" Naruto murmured as Team Seven stepped into room 301. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and Sakura stuttered.

"What the…?"

Because really, it was quite intimidating when a whole room full of shinobi you didn't even know were giving you the evil eye.

"All these people are taking the exam? There's so many!" Sakura whispered shrilly to her teammates. Hikari grinned and crossed her arms.

"Ah, don't worry. They probably think just because we're 'rookies,' we'll-" A loud squeal cut off Hikari.

"SASUKE! You're late!" A blond girl in a ponytail immediately latched onto said shinobi. He scowled darkly.

"I've been waiting for you ever since I heard I'd be seeing you for the first time in a while!" the blond gushed. Sakura growled.

"Get away from Sasuke, Ino-pig!!!" she shouted. Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"So… _this _is the Ino I've heard so much about." she said, placing her hands on her hips. Ino let go of Sasuke and smirked.

"Oh… Sasuke's mentioned me, has he?"

Hikari shook her head. "No, actually, he never even acknowledged your existence. Sakura's mentioned you, though."

Ino rolled her eyes and frowned. "Oh, Sakura's made a lame new friend, has she?" she drawled, making Hikari's eyes narrow and her fists clench. Ino pulled down her bottom eyelid and poked her tongue out.

"Oi, so you four are taking this troublesome exam, too?" a new voice asked. Behind Team Seven and Ino, two boys stood. One was quite chubby (fat) and the other had his hair up in a spiky ponytail sticking straight into the air.

"Oh, look, Hikari. Let me introduce you to the idiot trio." Naruto said, and Hikari chuckled. The boy with the spiked ponytail stepped forward.

"Stop calling us that, it's annoying."

Naruto turned to Hikari and whispered, "That's Nara Shikamaru. He's always complaining, and he's lazy about everything. He's a complaining idiot." He whispered the last part almost inaudibly, earning another chuckle from the golden eyed girl. Then Naruto nodded towards the boy munching on chips.

"He's Akimichi Chouji. He's always eating something. He's a fat idiot whose only talent is eating." Hikari rolled her eyes and smirked at the statement. Finally, Naruto nodded towards the girl who had draped herself shamelessly over Sasuke, who was looked quite irritated.

"That girl, as you said before, is Yamanaka Ino. You probably know by now that she's always picking fights with Sakura. She's one of those Sasuke-loving freaks." he said distastefully. Hikari blinked at him.

"You know, I think you may have just called Sakura a fr-"

"Hey! We found you all!"

Hikari and the others looked in the direction the voice was coming from. Three more people were heading towards them, and Hikari recognized them as the rest of the 'rookies.' One was wearing a hooded coat, and had an adorable little dog riding atop his head. Another was wearing glasses so dark that his eyes were invisible, and he wore a jacket as well, its collar so large it covered part of his face. The last person was a girl with short hair, and familiar pearl colored eyes.

"So, I see that everyone is here." the boy with the dog spoke.

"Hello…" the girl behind him mumbled, her voice extremely soft. When Naruto looked up at her, she blushed and looked away. Hikari tilted her head to the side questioningly.

"Oh, that's Hyuuga Hinata." Naruto whispered to Hikari. "She's kind of weird, and she looks away whenever I look at her. She's really shy."

Hikari smiled. "She seems like a sweet girl."

Naruto shrugged and nodded towards the boy with the dog. "That's Inuzuka Kiba, and the dog is Akamaru. He's more annoying than me! He's always got his dog with him, and he acts like he's the boss of everyone."

Hikari smiled. "What an adorable dog!" she exclaimed, and Akamaru looked up and barked.

"Oh, and that's Aburame Shino. Uh… I don't really know him very well. He's a really mysterious person." Naruto finished, acknowledging the third person.

Shikamaru sighed. "You three made it, too? Geez…"

"Heh, so all of the Genin rookies are taking the exam this year? How far do you think we can get, Sasuke?" Kiba asked.

Sasuke smirked. "You seem to be confidant, Kiba."

Kiba smirked as well. "We trained hard as hell. We won't lose to you."

Hikari smiled. "Ah, don't count your chickens before they hatch, Kiba. We haven't just been sitting around, either."

"Yeah, Kiba." Naruto said. "We sure won't lose to you!"

Hinata blushed and poked her two index fingers together. "Sorry, Naruto… Kiba didn't mean it like that…"

"Huh?"

Hinata blushed and looked away again.

Chouji seemed to be eyeing Akamaru strangely. When he made to walk forward, Shino got in the way.

"What?" Chouji asked, sounding irritated. Shino looked down, and Chouji did as well. A small bug was scuttling across the floor.

"Don't step on it." Shino said, his voice somewhat muffled by the collar of his jacket.

"Huh?"

"I said don't step on it."

"What, are you going to eat it?"

"Hey, you guys." a new voice called. When the genin looked over, a boy with silver hair in a ponytail was walking over. Hikari's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You should quiet down a little." the boy said. He stopped in front of everyone and looked them over. "So you are the ten rookies that just graduated from the academy, right? You're all fooling around with those cute faces… Geez, this isn't a field trip."

Hikari stepped forward and placed her hands on her hips. "Oi, who are you anyway? It's rather rude to chastise people you don't even know."

The boy smirked. "I am Yakushi Kabuto. Look around you…" The genin looked around, and were a bit unnerved by all the staring faces.

"The one behind you are from the Hidden Village of Rain." Kabuto said. "They have a short temper."

Hikari scoffed quietly. "Obviously, considering they're looking at us like we deserve to die or something." she muttered. Kabuto smirked.

"Everyone is a little right before the exam. I'm just warning you so you won't get picked on."

Hikari glanced over her shoulder at Kabuto, a small frown on her normally cheerful face. "Somehow, I think that's going to happen whether we're warned or not. After all, we're just 'little rookie genin,' right?"

Kabuto chuckled a little. "So, you're a feisty one, are you? But still, you don't know everything about this exam. You all kinda remind me of the old me."

Sakura blinked. "Kabuto, was it? So, this is your second time, then?"

"No… My seventh." The genin all looked startled at this, except for Hikari. Kabuto continued. "This exam only takes place twice every year, and this is my fourth year."

"So, you know a lot about this exam, then?" Sakura asked.

"Right."

Naruto grinned. "So you must be an expert, Kabuto."

"But he hasn't passed it." Shikamaru pointed out. Kabuto scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true."

Shikamaru sighed. "The Chuunin Exam is really that difficult? How troublesome…"

Kabuto smirked and reached into his pouch. "Maybe I should give my cute underclassmen some information, then…" He pulled out some orange cards. "With these recognition cards."

"Recognition cards?"

Kabuto looked up. "In other words, it's a card that has information burned into it using my chakra." He kneeled and placed the large deck of cards on the ground before him. "I've collected information on this exam for the past four years. There's about 200 cards total." Kabuto pulled one card from the deck and flipped it over, revealing a blank side.

"It may just look white, but…" Kabuto placed an index finger on the blank side of the card. "To get information from this card…" He began to spin the card.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked.

"It's made so that you can't view the card without my chakra." Kabuto answered. "Like this." he finished, forming a hand seal. There was a small poof, and a map appeared on the once blank card.

"Wow, what is that information on?" Sakura asked, intrigued.

"The exam's total amount of participants and the countries that are participating." Kabuto answered. "It also has the exact number of participants from each hidden village."

Hikari walked forward and leaned over slightly, reading the bottom of the card. "Thirty from Sunagakure (Village Hidden in the Sand), twenty-one from Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain), fifteen from Kusagakure (Village Hidden in the Grass), twelve from Takigakure (Village Hidden in the Waterfall), seventy-two from Konohagakure (You lot should know this one!), and…" Hikari suddenly fell silent and stared at the small card.

Naruto blinked. "And? And?"

Hikari remained silent for a few more moments before speaking again, her voice suddenly more grim. "…Three from… Otogakure (Village Hidden in Sound)."

Kabuto smiled. "Yeah. That makes one hundred fifty three ninja participating in the Chuunin Exams." he said, placing a hand above the card. With a poof, it reverted back to its blank state.

Sasuke stepped forward and asked, "Are there any cards with information on each individual ninja participating in the exams?"

Kabuto looked up and smirked, to which Hikari narrowed her eyes at him again. This went unnoticed. "Yes." Kabuto answered. "Is there someone that interests you?"

Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes."

Kabuto placed the card on the ground back into the deck. "The information of this exam's participants is not perfect, but I've burned and saved them. They include the information about the ten of you as well."

Hikari clenched her fists.

Kabuto looked at Sasuke and said, "Tell me whatever you know about the people you know that interest you. I'll look it up for you."

"Gaara from the Hidden Village of Sand. And Rock Lee from Konoha."

"Oh, you know their names? Then it won't take much time." Kabuto said. He began to remove cards from the deck.

"Ah, Kabuto?" Said boy looked up at the golden eyed girl who had spoken.

"Hm?"

"While you're at it… do you think I could see the cards with information about me and my team? It sounds cool!" Hikari said, a fake smile on her face.

Kabuto bought the act. "Sure."

This time, Hikari's smile was real.

Kabuto began to shuffle through the deck of cards, and eventually, he pulled out and held up six cards. "Here we go. Now first, I'll show you Rock Lee." he said, placing an index finger on one card and spinning it. There was a small poof, and the card was blank no more.

Kabuto picked up the card and read it over. "He's one year older than you guys. Mission experience, twenty D-rank ones, and eleven C-rank ones. The leader of his squad is Gai. His taijutsu had improved dramatically this past year, but his other skills are terrible. He got everyone's attention last year as a skilled rookie Genin, but he didn't take the Chuunin Exam. This is his first time taking it, like you. His team is composed of Tenten and Hyuuga Neji."

"Huh? Hyuuga?" Naruto murmured.

Kabuto took out another blank card and repeated the revealing process. "Next, let's see Gaara of the Desert." Kabuto held up the card and read it. "Mission experience, eight C-rank ones and… this is amazing! He did a B-rank mission as a Genin. Since he is a foreign ninja and it's his first time taking the exam, I don't have anymore information on him. But… it seems he has returned from all of his missions unharmed."

"He did a B-rank mission as a Genin, and he was unharmed?" Shikamaru asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

Kabuto shrugged. "Apparently." He looked at Hikari, and pulled out four cards. He performed the revealing process with each one and held them out to the golden eyed girl. Hikari reached out and took all of the cards.

"Hm, you've got information on my whole team; Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and me." Hikari murmured. Just then, she motioned for her teammates to gather close to her. They appeared to be looking at the cards, but their lips were moving, though what they were saying was inaudible to everybody else. Everyone watched as Team Seven talked for a few more moments before they all nodded and stepped away from Hikari. Hikari looked down at Kabuto and smirked.

Then, to everyone's shock, Hikari held up the cards and ripped them in half.

Hikari kneeled and placed the shreds in front of Kabuto, who was looking mildly shocked. The smirk disappeared from Hikari's face.

"Come on now, did you really think we'd let you have that information on us? Information which you could use to easily defeat us? To you, we may be 'your cute little underclassmen,' but we're not idiots." she said, a bit of harshness in her voice. From their places next to her, her teammates nodded.

Kabuto stared up at Hikari, his expression holding shock for a few more moments. Then, he smirked and picked up the shredded cards which once held information on Team Seven. "You know, I'll give you credit for that. You guys are no fools, that's for sure. In this exam, you really can't trust anybody I suppose." he said cheerfully.

"After all, many ninja from the hidden villages have come here this year to take the exam, and I have information on everybody, which could be used to take out my enemies in battle. Although…" Kabuto paused for a moment, placing the cards back into his pouch. "The Hidden Village of Sound is the village of a very small country that was made just recently, so I really don't have a lot of information on them. Either way, all of them are powerful villages."

Hinata looked very nervous as she whispered, "I'm starting to lose confidence…"

"It's too late to say that now!" Ino shouted.

Sakura bowed her head. "In other words, the examinees here are all…"

Kabuto smiled. "Right. It's not just Rock Lee or Gaara. All the people here are top elites chosen from each country. This isn't that easy." Naruto's eyebrows twitched slightly at Kabuto's words. Then, the blonde boy bowed his head, clenched his fists and began to shake slightly. Sakura noticed and took it as a sign of anxiety.

"Hey, Naruto… You don't need to be scared…" she began, stepping forward. Suddenly, she gasped and stepped back.

Suddenly, Naruto cried out and pointed a finger at the many Genin in the room behind them. He grinned and shouted confidently, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm not going to lose to any of you!!! Got that?!"

Hikari blinked and then began to laugh. She turned to Sakura and smiled. "Well, you have to admit… He's got the determination to get through this, huh?"

Sakura sighed and looked weary, but she nodded slightly and smiled a bit as well.

When Naruto was done shouting, he placed his hands behind his hands and sighed. "It felt good to get that out." Hikari laughed again, then turned towards the glaring Genin and placed her hands on her hips. Suddenly, the sparkle of cheerfulness disappeared from her golden eyes, and they narrowed slightly.

Hikari was vaguely aware that behind her, Sakura was threatening to beat Naruto to a bloody pulp, but at the moment, she wasn't quite concerned about that. She watched as three blurs moved throughout the crowd, unseen and unheard. But, one glance at Kabuto told Hikari that he knew who was coming too.

Suddenly, one of the Sound shinobi appeared in front of Kabuto, and he pulled out two kunai and flung them his way. Suddenly, everyone's eyes were turned in that direction as the others became aware of what was happening.

"Get back!"

Kabuto jumped away as Hikari ran forward to the spot he was once in. She infused her hands with chakra and caught the two kunai, much to the Sound shinobi's surprise. She growled at him as she swung her arm out and tossed the kunai at him. He dodged, and there were two loud thuds as the kunai embedded themselves deeply into the ceiling.

"So, the little girl wants to fight, eh?" hissed a voice. The Sound shinobi with the face bandages launched at her, pulling back his large, dangling sleeve to reveal a large metal object with holes in it attached to his arm.

The rookie Genin watched in shock, as well as every other Genin in the room, and Sakura cried out, "Hikari, look out!"

Hikari's eyes narrowed even more, and there was an emotion no one had ever seen reflecting in their golden depths. It looked like…

_Hatred. _

As the masked Sound shinobi pulled back his arm and prepared to punch, Hikari pumped as much chakra as she could into her hand and brought it down on the metal arm. She grabbed it tightly and slammed it into the ground, along with the Sound shinobi as well. Hikari glowered darkly at the ninja as she kneeled down beside him. She moved closer, and when her mouth was right above the ninja's ear, she hissed,

_"I know who you are." _

Hikari stood back up and walked to her team, but the look in her eyes and expression on her face did not waver. She turned back and faced the Sound shinobi, who had stood up and were glaring at her. She smirked.

"Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that. I'm not easily fooled." she said scathingly. Her teammates were shocked; they had never seen that look on her face, or heard that tone of voice used by her. Hikari's eyes narrowed even more.

"I don't know who you think you are…" she murmured, her voice low and intense. "But you'll be sorry if you try and come after my teammates…" Her eyes flashed angrily, and she saw a few of the other Genin in the room shift nervously. Hikari turned her attention back to the Sound shinobi. "Trust me." she finished.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a loud bang and a puff of smoke in the front of the room. "Quiet down, you punks!!!" a loud, intimidating voice shouted.

Slowly, the venomous look disappeared from Hikari's eyes, and a small smile graced her face.

_'Hm… Looks like it's on.' _

XXX

**Author's Note: I hope you all liked this chapter! Now, in case some of you are curious as to why Hikari defended Kabuto when she clearly doesn't like him, it's for a certain purpose. Some of you may be able to guess why, but if you can't I'll give you a hint: **

**Remember the aftereffect of the Sound attack, and what it cause Kabuto to do later on. Sorry if it's vague, but that's how I roll, lol. **

**Warning: The first exam and the interview done by Konohamaru and his group WILL be skipped over. If you don't recall why, check the last chapter. **

**By the way, is anyone else watching the Naruto marathon right now? Cause I am!!! XD **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated, **

**Fate **


	18. Entering The Forest Of Death

**Author's Note: Wow, s-makn, you were right on the mark in your review! Hm, but now that Kabuto has no excuse to quit, he's got to stay… and fight… someone… X3 **

**And by the way, SEVENTY-ONE reviews?! You guys rock!!! XD **

**Okay now, remember, we're skipping straight to the Forest of Death. **

**Oh! And I swear, it's getting harder and harder to find the perfect song with the perfect lyrics for these chapters. -sigh- Anyone got any songs with lyrics they think might be good? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or 'Deep River' by Utada Hikaru (I own that CD now!!! XD). **

XXX

_'Ken to ken ga butsukariau oto o, **(This sword was not entrusted,) **_

_Shiru tame ni takusareta ken ja nai yo. **(In order for one to know the sound of two swords striking.) **_

_Sonna mujun de dare wo mamoreru no?' **(Whom can one protect with such inconsistency?) **_

**_-Utada Hikaru, 'Deep River' _**

XXX

Hikari stared, wide eyed and mouth agape, at the sealed off area before her. Next to her, Naruto was looking nervous. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sakura looking as stunned as she was, and Sasuke's eyes had narrowed and he was frowning.

Hikari gulped and said, "You've got to be freaking kidding me…"

Behind Hikari, Sakura murmured, "This place just totally creeps me out."

At the head of the crowd of ninja, their leader for the second stage of the Chuunin Exams, Anko Mitarashi chuckled and said, "It should. They call it the Forest of Death after all… and soon enough, you're going to find out why."

Naruto scoffed and placed his hands on his hips and puckered his lips. "They call it the Forest of Death, and soon enough, you're going to find out why." he imitated Anko in a high-pitched voice. Hikari giggled. "Do your worst, you're not going to scare me away!" Naruto shouted, using his normal voice. He pointed at Anko. "I can handle anything!"

Hikari rolled her eyes. _'Sure you can, Naruto. After that near-disaster with the first exam, oi…' _she thought, remembering the first exam. Their proctor had been one tough guy, using every mind trick in the book to get to them. He had psyched everybody out, or at least tried to, by placing every Genin in a lose-lose situation. Lucky for Team Seven, Naruto was too stubborn to give up, and they all wound up passing. Still… Those mind games…

What a lovely experience.

Anko smirked. "So, we've got ourselves a tough guy…" Suddenly, she slipped a kunai out of her sleeve and into her hand, taking a firm grip on it. Still smirking, she swung her arm and flung the kunai at Naruto. It whipped right by him, grazing his cheek in the process, and it landed right by a Grass ninja.

Suddenly, Anko was behind Naruto. "You tough enough to handle this? You're not _afraid_, are you?" she hissed.

Naruto gasped in shock as one of Anko's hands cupped his unharmed cheek. "Tough guys like you usually leave their blood all over the place." she murmured, her index finger sweeping up some of the fresh crimson liquid on his cheek. Then, she suddenly whipped out another kunai and turned to look behind her.

A long tongue was offering her the kunai she had thrown earlier.

"I was… just returning your kunai…" the Grass ninja said, her voice sounding like the hiss of a snake (HINT HINT, people!!!).

Anko smiled and said cheerfully, "Why thank you, Grass ninja." She was silent for a few moments before speaking again. "You know, I really only recommend you stand this close behind me…" She took her kunai. "If you want to reach a premature end."

The Grass ninja's tongue slithered back into her mouth. "My pardon. With the sight of blood and your blade slicing through my hair… I just became a little…" The Grass ninja smiled crookedly. "Excited. I meant you no harm."

Sakura glanced nervously to her side, and then gasped slightly. "Hikari… are you alright?" From his place next to Sakura, Sasuke looked over at his golden eyed teammate, and his own eyes widened a fraction.

Hikari was staring back at the Grass ninja- and the deepest scowl of hatred was etched onto her face. Her teeth were bared and her brow furrowed; her golden eyes were flashing angrily. Sakura looked down at Hikari's hands, and she saw that they were clenched into fists and shaking. Sakura and Sasuke had never seen her look so… menacing.

"Sakura, Sasuke…" Hikari murmured, an extremely grim tone to her voice. "No matter what… We must stay away from the Grass ninja _at. All. Costs._"

Sakura's eyes widened. "What…? Why?" Even Sasuke looked slightly confused.

Hikari took a deep breath and looked at her teammates. Her face was now composed and calm, but her fists were still clenched. "Because… S-She's dangerous… I can't say how I know… But you guys trust me, right?" she asked.

Sakura nodded immediately, and after a while, Sasuke gave a small nod as well. Hikari smiled lightly.

"I'm only saying this because I don't want you all to get hurt. Not as long as I'm here." she said. Slowly, she turned and bowed her head, staring at the ground. Then, she murmured so softly that no one else could hear it.

"…This time around, _he's _not going to hurt **_anybody_**"

XXX

Sasuke sighed slightly as he sat against a large rock and read over the form Anko had given every ninja. One was to read over and sign it, stating that should they not come back alive, Anko was not responsible.

"Hiya!"

Sasuke started at the cheerful voice above him. Looking up, he saw a grinning golden eyed girl sitting on top of the rock, waving a slightly crumpled form.

"What'cha doing?" Hikari asked, peering down at him. Sasuke frowned.

"Hn."

Hikari rolled her eyes. "It sucks, doesn't it? Acting like our death means absolutely nothing at all."

Sasuke shrugged and resumed his reading. "These people have problems. Deal with it."

Hikari sighed and looked up at the sky. "I think someone else has problems, too." she muttered. Then, she looked back down at him. "Hey, aren't you nervous?"

"…About what?"

Hikari scoffed. "About wh- About the second exam, you idiot!" she shouted, ignoring the glare he threw her. "I mean, five days in that place, completely vulnerable to enemy attacks at any given time. Doesn't that worry you? Even a little?"

Sasuke glared at Hikari for a few more moments before scoffing lightly and turning back to the form in his hands. Hikari frowned and threw her arms up.

"Fine. Alright, fine, be that way." she murmured, hopping off the rock and beginning to walk away. But then, she stopped and turned around. "By the way… You are going to heed my warning about the Grass ninja, right?"

Sasuke looked up and raised an eyebrow. Hikari gave him a look that said, 'I'm not fucking joking.' Sasuke shrugged and turned back to the paper. "Why should I listen to you?"

Hikari rolled her eyes and began to walk away again. However, she still managed to startle him.

"Because you're my friend, I care about you, and the last thing I want is for you to get hurt." Hikari glanced back over her shoulder. "If you don't listen to anything else I ever say, at least listen to _that_."

XXX

A grinning Naruto stood with his teammates inside a booth, and he held up four forms in his hands for the Leaf ninja inside to see. The man took the forms and handed Naruto a Heaven Scroll. Team Seven walked outside and saw Anko check her watch.

Anko looked up at all the teams before her. "Listen up! All the teams have received their scrolls. So everybody, go to your gate and wait there. When the gates open… the test is on!"

XXX

"Yeah! I dare you punks to bring it on!" Naruto shouted as he and his teammates waited at Gate Twelve. "I'll just send it right back, TWICE AS HARD!!!"

Hikari grinned. "Now, Naruto. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves…" she murmured, looking up at the baby blue sky. Naruto frowned at her.

"Hikari, are you feeling okay? You're normally more energetic than this." he said. At this, Sakura and Sasuke gave Hikari curious glances. Hikari sighed lightly and smiled a bit.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just nerves, I suppose." She chuckled and looked at her teammates. "But… that won't stop us from kicking ass, right?"

Naruto grinned. "NO WAY!!! WE'RE GONNA KICK ASS, DATTEBAYO!!!"

The young man who was watching Gate Twelve smirked and slowly unlocked it. He turned to Team Seven and crossed his arms. Suddenly, Anko was heard shouting.

"All right, heads up, you maggots! The second part of the Chuunin Exams has now officially begun!"

Naruto grinned as he led his teammates inside the Forest of Death. He raised a fist in the air and shouted, "Well alright! Here we go, guys!"

Hikari closed her eyes and smirked, walking behind Sakura and Sasuke. "Well, now that we're here, what's the plan?"

The others blinked in confusion, and once they realized what Hikari was talking about, they all blushed slightly in embarrassment. Hikari sighed and chuckled.

"Well, if you all hadn't gone off by yourselves, we might've had time to think of one…"

"Don't rub it in." Sasuke mumbled, glaring at the ground as they walked. Hikari's shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Well then, I guess we just wing it." she said cheerfully, amusement plainly in her voice. "The next person to come along gets-" Hikari was cut off abruptly when screams of agony rang through the forest. Team Seven was startled, and Sakura and Hikari were looking around, eyes widened slightly in fear.

"W-Who was that?" Sakura whispered. Hikari pulled out a kunai.

"I don't know, but if bad things have happened already… We'll have to be really careful."

Sakura shuddered. "I do _not _like this place."

"Oh come on, it's nothing to be scared of! This is going to be a piece of cake!" Naruto declared. Then he frowned and ran over to a nearby bush. "Excuse me for a second. I really gotta, you know."

Hikari let out a small scream and turned around, dropping her kunai and clapping her hands over her eyes. Sakura growled and punched Naruto in the head.

"Yeah right! Get outta here! What is this, a kennel?! Don't do _that _in the presence of ladies!!! Go over _there_!!!" she shouted, pointing at an area completely concealed by bushes. Naruto whined in pain, but obeyed.

XXX

"Whoo, man that was a lot!" Naruto declared, coming out of the bushes after a few minutes. "I even wrote my whole name!"

Sakura raised her fist at him while Hikari rolled her eyes. "You are _such _a pig! You're really disgusting sometimes, you know that?"

Suddenly, Sasuke had appeared by Naruto and swung his arm, striking him in the cheek and sending him flying into a nearby tree. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Sasuke, it wasn't that bad…"

"Yeah, what the heck was that all about…" Naruto mumbled, rubbing his cheek. Sasuke then kicked him away and forced him to jump onto a tree branch. Sasuke jumped and grabbed it, swinging himself and kicking Naruto in the back, making him fall out of the tree. Naruto fell to the ground headfirst, and Sasuke leaped off the branch and landed on his feet.

"Hikari, Sakura, you'd better watch out. I think Sasuke's gone nuts." Naruto said, sitting up and glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke scoffed. "Yeah, you wish." he said as Hikari inconspicuously reached into her pouch and pulled out a kunai, hiding it behind her back.

Sasuke pulled out a kunai and said, "I just struck before you could!" Sasuke charged at Naruto, who had pulled out a kunai as well.

"Fine then, bring it on!" Naruto shouted, charging forward as well.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?!" Sakura shouted, fear in her eyes.

"Take a good look at him, Sakura." Sasuke said, and Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion. Sasuke looked back at his opponent. "Okay, talk! What have you done with the real Naruto?"

"What? What do you mean, I am Naruto!"

Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed. "Then where's the cut on your cheek from before?" Sasuke frowned when he saw the shock and realization on his opponent's face; they had messed up. "I guess you didn't know that the real Naruto got a cut on his face before this test. You also have your shuriken holster on you left leg. But the real Naruto is right-handed." Sasuke smirked. "Your transformation skill is worse than Naruto's. Tell me who you are!"

Suddenly, there was a bang and a puff of smoke, and 'Naruto' had turned into a ninja from the Village Hidden in the Rain.

"All right, you got me. So what? I'm still gonna take your scroll. Now hand it over, or else!" he threatened. Sasuke stiffened, and Hikari brought out her concealed kunai while Sakura whipped out one of her own. The Rain ninja beckoned and said menacingly, "So, which one of you has it?"

Hikari, Sakura, and Sasuke remained silent, and the Rain ninja seemed to scowl. "Fine, then I'll just have to take all of you out!" he shouted, charging at the three people.

Sasuke jumped into the air and rapidly formed hand seals. "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu! (Fire Element: Phoenix Fire Jutsu)" he shouted, gathering up chakra and exhaling multiple fire balls. The Rain ninja dodged the attack, each fireball making a small crater in the ground.

Hikari looked to Sakura, who was staring up at the fight. "Sakura, come on! We have to find the real Naruto; he can't have been taken far from here!"

Sakura nodded and jumped to where Naruto had been last seen, Hikari following close behind. "Sasuke, keep him at bay; Hikari and I are going to find Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"Be careful!" came the warning.

Hikari pumped chakra into her legs and leapt as high into the air as she could. Looking down from her position, she saw Sasuke and the Rain ninja fighting. Then, there was Sakura, running towards an orange blob…

"Sakura! He's down there!" Hikari shouted, shifting her position in the air and diving down towards Naruto. Sakura nodded and pumped chakra into her legs, leaping over a fair amount of distance. A struggling, screaming Naruto came into view. Sakura rolled her eyes and, with precise aim, threw her kunai at him and sliced the ropes he was bound with.

Naruto grinned. "Thanks you guys!" he said, standing up. Hikari and Sakura landed beside him, when suddenly, a loud explosion was heard. Hikari gasped and turned to see plumes of smoke rising in the air. Her eyes widened.

"Oi, that's where Sasuke is!" she said. Sakura's eyes widened, and she picked up her kunai and leapt off in the direction the explosion had come from, Hikari and Naruto right behind her.

"Oi! Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. He and the girls arrived to see the Rain ninja behind Sasuke, holding up a kunai to the back of his head. Hikari's eyes narrowed.

"Oh no you _don't_!" she shouted, speeding towards the Rain ninja. He turned around and was met with a chakra filled punch to the gut, courtesy of a golden eyed girl. Meanwhile, Naruto threw a kunai down at Sasuke, for he was unarmed.

Sasuke stuck out his foot, and the kunai slid under it. _'Now that I've made it stick with my chakra…'_ Sasuke activated his Sharingan and bent down, placing a hand on the ground. Balancing himself with that hand, he swung his leg around and sent the kunai flying upwards.

Hikari leapt into the air and grabbed the kunai by its handle. She turned towards the Rain ninja and flung the kunai down at him. He jumped into the air to avoid it, and at the same time, Hikari flipped upside down and began to plummet towards the ground.

"Get him, Sasuke!"

The Rain ninja looked towards the ground to find a raven haired boy coming at him with a kunai in his hand. With unmatchable speed, Sasuke rammed the kunai into the Rain ninja's chest as hard as he could, causing blood to spurt out and land on Sasuke's face.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out, her brow furrowing in worry. Sasuke glanced down at his pink haired teammate.

"Sakura, don't just stand there! He may not be alone, and if you let your guard down, you're going to die!" he shouted.

The Rain ninja grunted with effort as he pushed Sasuke away from him. He clutched at his chest, where crimson liquid was rapidly spilling out. "This is unlucky." he murmured, his voice strained with pain. "Coming alone turned out unfavorable for me."

With that, the Rain ninja leapt off into the trees, away from Team Seven.

Hikari, who had landed upside down on the ground, groaned and sat up. "Hey, are you all okay?" she called. When she received three nods, she sighed and glanced around. Her golden eyes suddenly narrowed as they landed upon an object embedded in the ground. Hikari gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists.

_'That **bastard**…' _

XXX

**Author's Note: Ah, sorry I didn't get this chapter up sooner, but I was working on a new oneshot. It's related to this story, and it was originally supposed to be one of the chapters. But, I decided making a oneshot would be more fun. It's called, 'The Tanabata,' and once I complete it, I'll post it on FF. I recommend reading it once it's up; it features Team Seven. **

**Reviews are appreciated! **

**Fate **


	19. A Monster Among Them

**Author's Note: OMFG, have you seen the latest manga chapter? Now, in all honesty, I don't really like Itachi, but...**

**'Did you get a little taller?'**

**LMFAO!!! I nearly fell off the bed when I read that.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

XXX

Hikari slowly stood up and walked over to her teammates. She glanced at Sasuke.

_'Five yards behind me, and three feet to the right.'_

Sasuke blinked and shifted his gaze to where Hikari indicated. There was a thin tube sticking out of the ground. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he promptly sat down.

"Oi, come here you guys." he said, motioning for his teammates to sit down beside him. They obeyed, and Sasuke frowned.

"Look, this proves that things are more serious than we thought." Sasuke began. "If we get separated, we can't trust anyone; even if they look like one of us. There's a possibility that it's the enemy transformed into one of us."

"Yeah, that's true." Naruto agreed.

Sakura leaned forward. "So, what do we do?"

Sasuke thought for a moment before saying, "We need a password."

"A password?"

Sasuke nodded. "If a different password is given than the one we decided on, assume that the person is an enemy, no matter what they look like, got it?" After receiving nods from his teammates, Sasuke continued. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. First, you will ask, 'The ninja song, 'Ninki'?' The answer is the following…"

Sasuke glanced at his teammates once, to make sure they were listening, and then told them the password. "It is a good chance when a large number of enemies are making a scene. There are no hideouts even in a quiet place. It is important for a ninja to know the right time. The time when the enemy is tired, and has his guard down. Got it?" he finished.

Sakura and Hikari nodded. "Got it."

Naruto frowned. "Uh… can you say it one more time?" he asked meekly.

"I already said I'm only going to say it once." Sasuke said, soundly mildly exasperated.

"You didn't memorize it at all? You're stupid." Sakura said bluntly. Hikari stifled a chuckle, and Sasuke felt the corner of his lip twitch slightly.

"Uh, I remembered it, too! Uh… I just… Uh, I wanted to be sure! Yeah, that's it!" Naruto said, nodding as if to reassure himself. This time, Hikari did chuckle. Sasuke sighed and stood up.

"I'll keep the scroll." he announced. Naruto stood up, too, as well as Hikari and Sakura.

"Hey, Sasuke, wait!" Naruto said, but then a small object whizzed by and grazed his cheek. "Ouch! What was…?" Naruto murmured, looking towards the area the object came from. It was dark, surrounded by fallen trees. Hikari's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Everybody, brace yourselves!!!" she shouted, but it was too late. Suddenly, an enormous gust of wind erupted from the area, and Team Seven screamed. The wind was so fierce it could almost cut, and Team Seven didn't stand a chance.

Hikari cracked open one eye and strained to see her teammates. She saw pink and red on one side of her, and raven and blue on the other. Hikari attempted to turn around in hopes of spotting an orange figure, but the wind finally won, and Hikari felt her feet slipping out from under her. She screamed as the winds blew her backwards, lodging her in some bushes.

A few moments later, the wind died down, and Hikari heard a familiar voice speaking. Hikari clenched her fist and rolled out of the bush, landing with a thud on top of something.

"Ow! Get the hell off me, dammit!"

Hikari blinked before rolling over and sliding off the object she had landed on and onto the ground. When she looked up, she saw a pair of onyx eyes glaring at her. Hikari groaned and mumbled, "Something about big enemies making a scene and a quiet place."

Sasuke raised his kunai. Hikari sighed and stood up. "You don't believe it's me?"

She received a glare.

Hikari shrugged and rolled her golden eyes. "All right, you asked for it." she said. Sasuke barely had time to blink before the golden eyed girl had him in a headlock and was rubbing her knuckles on the top of his head. _'So, you think anybody else could imitate this? Huh? HUH?' _

"All right, all right! Get off!" Sasuke protested. Hikari continued rubbing her knuckles on his head.

"Hikari!"

Said girl grinned and released him from the headlock. There was a rustling of leaves, and Sasuke raised his kunai and turned in the direction it was coming from. He received a small scream.

"Sakura!"

The pink haired kunoichi had wide, frightened eyes, and she ran towards her two teammates. "You guys-"

"Wait! Say the password first! The ninja song, 'Ninki'?" Sasuke prompted. Sakura stopped and nodded. She recited the password perfectly, and Sasuke lowered his kunai. "Alright…"

"Ouch…" came a familiar, whining voice. The three people turned to see their blonde teammate running towards them. "Hey, are you all okay?"

Sakura held out her hand. "Naruto, wait a minute! The ninja song, 'Ninki'?"

Naruto stopped and grinned. "Okay. It is a good chance when a large amount of enemies are making a scene. There are no hideouts even in a quiet place. It is important for a ninja to know the right time. The time when the enemy is tired and has his guard down."

Sakura let out a sigh of relief, but Sasuke smirked and flung his kunai at Naruto. Naruto leapt to the side and dodged it, falling to the ground in the process. "What are you doing?!"

Sasuke stepped forward and scowled. "This time, we have some one good enough to dodge my attacks?"

Sakura looked startled. "What are you talking about, Sasuke? Naruto said the password correctly!"

"That's why we have a problem." Sasuke countered, his voice cool.

"What?"

"What makes you think Naruto could remember such a long password? If I asked, 'What's the password?' what do you think the normal Naruto would say?" Sasuke asked her. Realization dawned in Sakura's emerald eyes.

"Sorry… I forgot." she murmured, realization disappearing and a troubled expression taking its place.

Sasuke nodded and said, "And the movement he made when dodging my attack is different from the way Naruto moves. Show your real self, faker!" he shouted.

The person on the ground assuming the shape of Naruto suddenly grinned crookedly. A long, thin tongue slithered out of their mouth. "I see." they murmured, and Hikari's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles were turning white. There was a loud bang and a large puff of smoke; where the form of Naruto once was, a familiar looking Grass ninja stood.

"But, if you knew your teammate would forget the password…" she began. She turned her head and looked at the trio before her, a malicious glint in her dark eyes. "Why didn't you use a shorter one?"

Sasuke smirked. "Thanks to Hikari, I knew that you were eavesdropping on our conversation from inside the ground. That's why I made a long password."

The Grass ninja removed her large hat and peered at Sasuke over the edge of it. "I see. So you don't let your guard down."

Hikari stepped forward, a large scowl on her face. She held out one hand, and immediately, a large amount of golden chakra spread out from it, forming a large shield. "Damn right, we don't." she hissed.

The Grass ninja's smirk widened. "Interesting… Looks like I'm going to have more fun than I thought."

Sakura stiffened. _'It's that Grass ninja Hikari warned us to stay away from. But… if she's here… Then where is Naruto?' _

Slowly, the Grass ninja reached into her pouch and pulled out a cylinder shaped item. Sasuke and Sakura straightened and sucked in their breath. The Grass ninja chuckled.

"So… You want our Earth Scroll, do you? Since you have… the Heaven Scroll." she hissed. Slowly, she brought the Earth Scroll to her mouth, and her long tongue slithered out and wrapped itself around it.

As Hikari's teammates watched in shock as the Grass ninja devoured the Earth Scroll, Hikari couldn't help the tightening of her expression, and the way her lips pulled back in something that resembled a snarl. _'Like… a snake…' _

"Now…" the Grass ninja hissed, her tongue darting out to slide over her lips. "Let's begin… The fight for our scrolls…"

The three present members of Team Seven gasped in horror as the Grass ninja raised her head to look at them, and pulled the bottom of her left eyelid down.

"…By putting our lives on the line!"

Before Hikari could even shout the warning, all of them were sucked into the Genjutsu. Hikari felt her own mouth open in a scream that bubbled up in her throat, but didn't escape. She felt the sudden freezing in her bones, and she knew with great dread that the others were feeling it as well.

In her own mind, she saw and heard the squelching of dark blood as it splattered onto, and covered half of, a nearby tree trunk. Then, the iciness of her body was replaced by a hot, blinding agony, and she felt crimson liquid rushing out of her, spilling everywhere. Suddenly, it seemed that her clothes were tattered and soaked with blood, and that every inch of her had been pierced.

Then, she heard the scream. The scream that signified death had arrived, and she couldn't tell whether it had come from her, or her teammates, or maybe even all three of them. Then, the blinding red that had enveloped her vision disappeared, only to be replaced by blackness.

Next, the whistling sound of an object speeding towards her. The shield in front of her sprang up, but its golden light flickered, and then shattered as the object slammed straight through it. The piercing pain of something sharp and deadly, embedded to its hilt in her forehead, registered in her mind.

And then, it was over.

Sasuke realized in a matter of seconds that it was a Genjutsu. By then, though, it had been too late. He felt himself swaying to the side and falling to his knees, the pain that had been there in his body before, now gone. He only felt the iciness in his bones that had been there just as soon as the Genjutsu had trapped him.

And when he felt his stomach heave, he promptly hunched over and vomited.

The Grass ninja watched as Sasuke attempted to stand, only to fall back down. She watched as he glanced in front of him, only then seeming to realize that his golden eyed teammate had fallen onto her back. She was unmoving, spread-eagled on the ground, and her eyes were wide open, and they were eerily glazed over.

Sasuke felt frozen for a few moments, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. His breath came out in shaky pants, and slowly, he turned to look at his other teammate.

"S-Sakura…" As soon as her name left his lips, Sasuke found that he had to stifle a gasp as he saw what state the genjutsu had left Sakura in.

She was trembling quite violently, and tears were rapidly pouring from emerald eyes that were now dull, a dead look to them. She looked like she'd been given a glimpse of Hell.

Sasuke shivered slightly. _'This isn't good… We need to run. Otherwise, only…'_ Sasuke slowly turned to look back at the Grass ninja, and he found that he didn't like the crooked smirk she wore.

_'Otherwise, we'll die!' _

The Grass ninja suddenly chuckled sinisterly. "You can't move already?"

Sasuke trembled as he attempted to stand, but found that it was like he was frozen, trapped. _'Move. Move. Move! Move!' _he chanted over and over to himself. His onyx eyes wandered down towards his hand, which was slowly inching towards his kunai pouch. In his head, he repeated that mantra over and over in his mind.

_'Move.'_ His hand was on the kunai. _'Move.' _He was sliding the kunai out of the pouch. _'Move.' _ He was beginning to stand. _'I don't care if it's only a little bit… move!' _

The grass ninja smirked. "What are you going to do with that?" she hissed, indicating the kunai.

Sasuke's eyes suddenly widened, and he found that he was once again frozen. _'I can't… I can't move.'_

The Grass ninja began to move forward, reaching behind her and pulling out two kunai. "Relax, I will end it in a flash. You won't have time to suffer."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he realized that the Grass ninja's gaze was on the pink haired kunoichi next to him, who still had not recovered from the Genjutsu. The Grass ninja smiled and raised her arm.

"I wanted to have more fun, but… Now I'm disappointed." she finished, releasing the kunai.

Sasuke's fists clenched, and he frantically forced all of his willpower into getting Sakura out of the range of the kunai. _'Move! Move! Move!'_ he thought, and he felt the hand of the arm holding the kunai moving upward. Then, for a split second, he froze again.

_'**Move!**' _he screamed in his mind, and the sheer force of his own thoughts allowed him to plunge his hand downward, embedding his own kunai into his leg. Knowing he had only a few seconds, he jumped over to the side and wrapped his arms firmly around Sakura. Just as he prepared to jump away, Sasuke felt something grip his collar firmly, and soon, he was lifted into the air, still holding Sakura.

"Go, Sasuke! GO!" a frantic voice shouted at him. A glance upwards showed him raven hair and golden eyes, and he immediately shook himself free of surprise and leapt up the large trunk of a tall tree, out of the view of the Grass ninja.

Hikari's brow was furrowed as she watched Sasuke leap on ahead with Sakura. She turned her head towards the ground, and she clenched her fists as she saw a fleeting image of a smirking face.

By the time Hikari caught up with her other teammates, Sasuke had just stopped on a very large branch of the tree. He sat down and placed Sakura gently on the branch, (Hikari smiled at the fleeting concern she had seen in his eyes.) and then he moved back and sat against the trunk of the tree.

Sakura had snapped out of her horrified trance by then, and she was staring at Sasuke, wide-eyed and concerned. "S-Sasuke…" she whispered before she gasped.

Sasuke, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as he could, gripped the handle of his kunai and, with more force than necessary, ripped it out of his leg, causing some blood to spill out and onto the tree trunk.

Sakura's eyes widened even more so. "Sasuke! Are you- mmph!" She was silenced by Sasuke's hand reaching out and clapping over her mouth. His gaze was elsewhere, though, and he looked… scared.

Hikari was a few feet away from the pair, lying on her stomach. "Ow… ouch…" she whispered. From jerking herself up, to lifting her two teammates into the air and following them at top speed, her muscles were sore and strained. Not to mention, her mind was fairly unbalanced at the moment. Groaning slightly with effort, she pushed herself up and glanced at her two teammates. And then she looked behind them.

"_Snake!!!_"

The trio had barely enough time to leap back as the jaws of a giant snake clamped around the branch they had once occupied.

Hikari had tried to stick her feet to a nearby tree trunk, but she had slipped and slid down the tree. A bump in the trunk caused her to fly forward and land safely- albeit roughly- on another branch. When she glanced up, the large snake was quickly winding around a tree, and it lunged towards Sasuke, who screamed.

"Don't come near me!" he exclaimed, hurling multiple shuriken at the monstrous beast. The objects pierced the snake's head, and Hikari's eyes widened as the direction the snake was falling in registered in her mind. She barely had time to jump away as the large animal crashed upon the branch she was on, its large head landing in the exact spot she had been in a few seconds before.

Hikari felt a shudder of repulsion run through her as a sickening amount of blood exploded from the side of the snake's head and splashed down upon her and the rest of the branch. But, when she heard the sound of cracking, of something splitting wide open, Hikari felt pure terror.

"You can't let your guard down for even a second…" Hikari's eyes widened, as did Sakura's and Sasuke's.

"Prey need to strain their minds all the time, and run around… in the presence of a predator!" the Grass ninja hissed, emerging from inside the body of the dead snake. With an insane glint in her eyes, she suddenly lunged towards Sasuke, who cried out. Hikari reacted instantly.

There was a loud bang and a great flash of light, and Hikari was suddenly in front of Sasuke, her chakra so strong it was visible, surrounding her. A chuckle came from the Grass ninja and she twisted herself around a branch and slithered towards the two people. Hikari growled and pumped her fist full of chakra, ready to punch the crap out of the Grass ninja. But before she could, an assortment of weapons flew in front of her and embedded themselves into the wood of the branch, effectively stopping the Grass ninja's advancement.

"Sorry, Sasuke!" a familiar voice called. All heads turned upwards, and Hikari and Sakura grinned.

"Naruto!!!"

Yes, the blonde ninja was currently standing on top of a branch, looking down upon his teammates. Not to mention, he had a triumphant smirk on his face. He chuckled.

"I forgot the password."

XXX

**Author's Note: Oh my God, I think you all know what's coming next (Cough, BATTLE, cough). Alas, I have to work on my one-shot before I begin writing the next chapter… -Dodges a tomato- ... You know, Sasuke would be ashamed. XP Lol, but since school starts on Wednesday (For me, anyway), I might not be able to get the next chapter up as soon as I'd like, anyway. **

**But don't worry! Hopefully, my teacher isn't one of those psychos who give homework on the first day of school. Oh, the HORROR! **

**Meh, review please! **

**Fate **


	20. The Winds Of Fate Begin To Shift

**Author's Note: OMFG, ITBS Testing Week is OVER! WHOO! **_I know! Can you believe it?! _**Yes I can, Alicia, yes I can. **_Ha-ha, OMG we just read the latest Naruto chapter (Would've read it sooner, but Izzy's laptop was being gay) and: _

_Spoiler Alert: NARUTO KNOWS WHERE SASUKE IS, HELL YES!!! _

**O.O Geez, Alicia, you told these people my real nickname! **_Oopsie. X3 _**Not to mention, throughout the rest of the latest manga chapter, you were screaming 'Godammit, Kishimoto, where's the Team Seven love?!?!'**_ Well, where was it?! _**Dear God, even on the laptop you're psycho… **

**Oh, by the way? That battle scene you've all been anticipating… Hehe, it shall arrive! **_I'm SO reading over Izzy's shoulder the whole time!_** So, be prepared while reading this uber-awesome (At least, I hope so!) chapter. **

**Disclaimer: No, I do not own Naruto or 'Are You Ready,' by Three Days Grace. :( **

**XXX **

_'You said we'd never get this far, _

_You said your words; we've played our parts, _

_Said your two cents now _

_It's my turn. _

_So sit down, shut up _

_Are you ready? _

_So you think you know how this story goes, _

_Are you ready for this?!' _

**_-Three Days Grace, 'Are You Ready' _**

**XXX **

"I forgot the password." Naruto repeated, a sheepish tone creeping into his voice.

Sakura shook her head. "It's okay, Naruto! We know it's you!"

Sasuke snapped his gaze towards the blonde haired ninja standing on a tree branch above them. "Naruto! You must want to help us and show off at the same time, but don't get involved!" Sasuke warned. "Run! This person is way above our level!"

The Grass Ninja turned to look at Naruto. "So… It looks like you've defeated my big snake, Naruto."

Naruto's cerulean eyes narrowed slightly. _'That Grass Ninja… looks like a snake. I see… It must have been her doing.' _

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as well, and he glanced around. _'There has never been a situation where things got better when Naruto came… What should I do…?' _

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Naruto shouted, waving his arm back and forth. "So you've been picking on the weak, huh? Well," Naruto pointed at the Grass Ninja. "Now that I, the great Uzumaki Naruto am here, I am going to beat you to a pulp!"

Hikari's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "No, Naruto! Don't make threats!" she shouted, her golden eyes pleading. "This… This is far more serious than anything we've ever dealt with before!"

Naruto shrugged. "Ah, it can't be that bad…"

"Wait!"

All eyes turned to Sasuke, who had called out. Slowly, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a cylinder shaped object. "I'll give you the Heaven Scroll." he said, tossing said object back and forth. Then, he held it out. "Please, take this and leave us in peace."

Naruto gasped in shock. "Oi, Sasuke! What the hell's the matter with you? What are you trying to do by giving the enemy our scroll?!"

"You shut up!" Sasuke shouted.

Naruto took a small step back. "What…?"

The Grass Ninja smirked and raised herself up on one arm. "I see, so you're smart. After all, the only hope a prey has from a predator… Is to hand over something more tempting to save itself."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second before he spoke. "Take it." he said coldly, tossing the scroll to the Grass Ninja.

It didn't get to its intended destination.

With incredible speed, Naruto had jumped forward and grabbed the scroll from midair. He flew past Hikari and Sasuke, turning and jumping off of another tree to land right next to Sasuke.

Sasuke turned to glare at Naruto. "You…! Don't butt in! Don't you understand the situation you've put yourself in?!"

Naruto growled and stood up. Suddenly, he whirled around to face Sasuke, and Hikari's eyes widened.

"Naruto, no!!!"

But Naruto had already drawn back his fist and slammed it into Sasuke's cheek. Blood spurted from Sasuke's mouth, and he flew back off the branch from the force of Naruto's punch. Hikari choked back a gasp as she sprinted forward. She jumped and grabbed at Sasuke's wrist, catching and firmly gripping it. She grunted and slid forward a few feet, but managed to pull Sasuke back up onto the branch.

Sasuke pulled his wrist back and wiped away the crimson liquid at the corner of his mouth, glaring angrily at Naruto. "Why you… Why did you do that?!"

Naruto panted for a few seconds before raising his head and scowling at Sasuke. "I… forgot the password, so I can't make sure of this, but… You're not the real Sasuke, are you?"

From her place on her own branch, Sakura clenched her fists and stepped forward. "Naruto, what… What are you talking about?!"

"You idiot!" Sasuke shouted. "I am the real one!"

"Liar." Naruto hissed. Hikari glanced at the Grass Ninja out of the corner of her eye, and she scowled darkly when she saw that the ninja was smirking.

"The idiot…" Naruto continued. "And… the _coward _I see in front of me right now isn't the Sasuke I know." Naruto pointed to the Grass Ninja. "I don't know how strong this freak is... but there is no guarantee that she'll let us go even if we give her the scroll! _You're _the one who's scared, the one who doesn't understand the situation!"

Suddenly, a low chuckle came from the Grass Ninja. When Team Seven looked in her direction, she had unwound her legs from the tree branch and was standing up. "Naruto…" she hissed, her long tongue darting out to lick her lips. "…You're correct."

The sight was disgusting, and it seemed to freeze Team Seven in their places. The Grass Ninja slowly pulled back the sleeve of one of her arms to reveal an odd marking on her arm. "I guess I just have to…" The Grass Ninja bit her thumb, drawing blood from it.

"Kill you all." The Grass Ninja slid her bloodied thumb down the marking on her arm. Naruto's eyes widened, and he charged towards the Grass Ninja.

"Don't mess with us!"

"No! Run, Naruto!!!"

Naruto cursed and drew out a kunai, jumping into the air. _'I've lost faith in you, Sasuke…' _

The Grass Ninja smirked and rapidly began to form hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu!"

Where the branch below the Grass Ninja once was, a monstrous snake now appeared. It lunged towards Naruto, forcing him to change direction in midair. The snake wound up crashing into the trunk of another tree, sending pieces of wood and branches flying everywhere.

Naruto landed on the branch of another tree, panting heavily. He already had a few cuts on him from where the flying wood had struck.

The Grass Ninja smirked from atop the giant snake. "Hm… What a cute prey." As soon as the words escaped her lips, the giant snake swung its tail towards Naruto. Naruto's eyes widened, for he thought the tail would strike him directly. Instead, it stopped short of the branch and then slipped under it. With one swift upward motion, the tail of the snake sliced through the branch and sent Naruto flying upwards, causing him to crash through several more branches. He finally hit one solid one, and after seeming to stick to the branch, he slowly plummeted downward.

The Grass Ninja's smirk widened. "Eat him for now." she told the snake.

You can imagine her surprise when Naruto flipped, and then delivered a powerful punch that shook the entire snake. Shouting out, he began to rapidly punch the snake as hard as he could.

The Grass Ninja's eyes narrowed. "Is he…?"

From her branch, Sakura watched her teammate with wide eyes. She clapped her hands to her mouth and murmured, "Naruto's gone berserk…"

The large snake flicked out its tongue, sending Naruto backwards. Naruto placed his feet firmly on the trunk of a tree behind him and pushed off, launching towards the monstrous animal once more. The Grass Ninja scowled slightly and raised her hand to her mouth. When she exhaled, a great ball of fire was expelled from her mouth and engulfed Naruto, who then fell downward and landed harshly on another branch.

The Grass Ninja's eyes widened, and she murmured, "Those eyes… I am sure of it now." Then, she looked at Sasuke, who was standing frozen in his place. "You're next!" she shouted, her snake charging at Sasuke.

Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound, the splintering of wood, and a repulsive squishing sound.

The sound of Naruto plunging two kunai deeply into the large snake's head. He panted and looked up at his teammate. "Hey, you aren't hurt are you… Scaredy cat?"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the sight of Naruto's scarlet eyes, and at the memory of a few month's back invading his mind.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "The idiot and coward I see in front of me… Isn't the Sasuke I know."

Hikari watched the events unfold before her, and then she gasped. "Naruto, look out!!!"

The Grass Ninja had swiftly wrapped her long tongue around Naruto's arms, and she hoisted him up into the air, ignoring his protests and threats. She brought Naruto close to her and formed a seal with her hands. Then, the pads of the fingers of one hand began to glow with an eerie bluish-purple colored flame. Her tongue lifted up Naruto's shirt slightly, revealing the seal on Naruto's belly.

"See? Your seal has surfaced!" The Grass Ninja declared, a wildly excited tone to her voice.

Hikari's gold eyes widened, and she knew what was about to happen. "No!" she shouted franticly. "Don't touch him!!!"

The Grass Ninja glanced sideways at her and then smirked evilly, pulling the hand with the purple flames back. Hikari's common sense left her.

"Leave him alone, OROCHIMARU!!!"

The Grass Ninja's head snapped up, a wild and angry look in her eyes. She stared at Hikari for a split second before bringing her hand down onto Naruto's seal. "Gogyo Fuuin!" (Five Element Seal)

The purple flames spread out before disappearing, and Naruto let out a cry of agony. His scarlet eyes widened before fading black to their familiar cerulean color, and then shutting. Naruto was perfectly still before he slumped over, unconscious.

The Grass Ninja reached into Naruto's pouch and pulled out the Heaven Scroll before she flung Naruto over her shoulder.

Sakura's eyes widened. _'He's going to fall!' _ Sakura whipped out a kunai and flung it at Naruto with precise aim. It snagged the back of his shirt and pinned him firmly to the trunk of a tree.

Hikari looked over at Sasuke, who had not moved. Her brow furrowed and she clenched her fists. "Sasuke, do something!" She received no response. "Dammit, Sasu-"

"Sasuke!" a different voice shouted. Sasuke's bobbed up, and he turned to look at Sakura.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she shouted, "Naruto is different from you… He's dumber, and sometimes a nuisance, but…" Sakura wavered for a second, and then pointed at him. "At least he's no coward!!!"

Sasuke slowly turned back around, looking up towards the tops of the trees. A ray of golden sunlight flashed down upon him through an opening in the leaves.

_'Foolish brother. If you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me… And survive in the most unsightly way.' _

Sasuke closed his eyes and clenched his fists, hearing those hated words echoing in his head.

_'Run and run and cling onto life…' _

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke's gaze snapped towards Hikari. She was standing a few yards away, her hands balled into fists and tears welling in her eyes.

"Sasuke, I know what you're thinking!" she shouted. "Don't listen! _He _does not rule you- _He _does not control your life! You are nothing like him!!!"

Sasuke blinked once, a confused expression on his face. Then, he shut his eyes and slowly nodded. He turned back to face the Grass Ninja, who was standing on a branch across from his. When he opened his eyes, the Sharingan was activated, and he got into a fighting stance.

The Grass Ninja's eyes narrowed. "He is definitely part of the Uchiha clan. His blood must be making him excited…" she murmured, getting into a fighting stance as well. "I will take my time to see how strong you are…" she began. Her eyes wandered to Hikari. "And then, I will deal with you… little brat."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and whipped out a kunai, placing it in his mouth and gripping the sharp edge carefully between his teeth. _'I have to survive to kill my brother. When that thought came to my mind… I realized that I _was _acting like an idiot. Naruto. Sakura. Hikari. How can someone who can't even risk his life here kill him?!' _

The moment Sasuke began running at the Grass Ninja, Hikari leapt off her branch and landed on Sakura's. She ran up to the pink haired kunoichi and shouted, "Sakura! We have to go!"

Sakura turned to look at Hikari, confused. "Go? Go where?"

Hikari grabbed her wrist. "We can't stay here, we'll get caught in the crossfire!"

"But Sasuke-"

"Will be fine." Hikari interrupted, her voce firm. "Sakura, when they're fighting, it's more than likely they will _fall off the freaking branch_. We have to have our eyes on them at all times because who knows what Oro-" Hikari cut herself off, biting her bottom lip firmly and puffing her cheeks out. Sakura sighed slightly at her friend's attempt to keep from speaking.

"Hikari… who exactly is Orochimaru? Is he the reason you wanted us to stay away from the Grass Ninja? Does the Grass Ninja know him?" Sakura questioned, confused by Hikari's secrecy.

Hikari blinked once, took a deep breath, and shook her head. "No, Sakura… The Grass Ninja _is _Orochimaru. He's using a disguise."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden roaring sound grabbed hers and Hikari's attention. Turning to look at the source of the sound, they realized that Sasuke had used a fire jutsu and the flames were consuming the branch. Hikari began to run towards the edge, pulling Sakura along.

"Come on! We can't stay on the branch!"

"But where are we going to go?!" Sakura demanded, peering over the edge of the branch. The forest floor was so far away, it seemed all she was staring into was a dark abyss.

Hikari turned golden eyes to Sakura. "Do you trust me?" When Sakura nodded, Hikari held out her hand. Sakura held onto it, and Hikari whispered, "Jump on three, okay?"

Sakura nodded nervously. "Okay."

Hikari nodded as well. "Okay, one… two…"

They went sailing over the edge of the branch, and Sakura shrieked, "What the HELL happened to THREE?!?!"

"I lied!" Hikari shouted. Suddenly, she sensed two more presences above them, descending fast. Turning her head just in time, she caught a flash of black and blue, and her eyes widened.

"That was Sasuke and Orochimaru!" Hikari shouted, angling herself in the air so she would descend faster.

Sakura copied Hikari and felt the almost-piercing rush of the wind whistling past her. Then, she asked, "What does Orochimaru want with us?"

"Orochimaru isn't concerned with us; it's Sasuke he wants!" Hikari responded, shouting over the roaring wind.

"What?! Why does he want Sasuke?!"

Hikari blinked, staring hard at a branch below them. By then, Sasuke and Orochimaru had collided, and Sasuke had found out Orochimaru was using a replication. She focused mentally, and as her pupils dilated, her vision became sharper. Hikari saw the glinting of several kunai being thrown at her spiky haired teammate, and she watched as he flipped over the edge of the branch and sailed downward, landing on another.

"Sakura, we're going to land on the branch Sasuke is on, okay? Pump as much chakra as you can into your feet just before you land. It'll help with the impact."

"Okay!"

A few seconds later, the two kunoichi landed hard with a very loud thud, and Hikari toppled backwards, landing on her backside.

"Ow-w-w…"

"Sasuke!"

Upon hearing Sakura's horrified cry, Hikari shot up just in time to see Orochimaru (disguised as a Grass Ninja) punch Sasuke multiple times and follow up his blows with a swift kick. Sasuke flew back a few feet and landed with a harsh thud, sliding along the rough bark of the branch.

Sakura wasted no time in running to Sasuke's side, placing a gentle hand on his arm and examining him closely. _'He's breathing alright… Just looks unconscious…' _

"You son-of-a-_bitch_!!!" Hikari shouted, rushing towards Orochimaru. She drew back her fist, glowing with golden chakra, and swung forward powerfully.

Orochimaru caught her chakra-powered punch and flung her back to where her teammates were. He smirked and approached them, speaking in the Grass Ninja's voice.

"That was too easy. You're not living up to the name Uchiha, Sasuke." he taunted. "Oh well…" he sighed. "I'm going to slowly beat you, then kill you. And next is your little pink haired girlfriend…" he sneered, and Sakura balled her hands into fists. Orochimaru ignored her and moved his eyes to Hikari. "And then… I'll obliterate you, you little wench."

He turned his gaze back to Sasuke. "I'm going to squash you like a bug."

And that was when the little objects attached to Orochimaru's back exploded, sending him to the ground.

Hikari smirked and jumped back onto another branch while Sasuke grabbed Sakura by the waist and followed. He placed Sakura down on the branch and leapt back into the air, pulling out multiple objects with wires attached to them. He flung the objects at Orochimaru and manipulated the wires so the they would go circling around him.

"These are…" Orochimaru murmured, his eyes widening in shock. "Sofuushasen no Tachi." (Sharingan-Controlled Triple Windmill Blades)

Sasuke manipulated the wires he was holding in his hands so that the blades spun around Orochimaru and the trunk of the tree behind him. The wires attached to the blades tightened and slammed Orochimaru to the tree trunk, sinking painfully into his skin.

Sasuke let go of the wires in his hands and rapidly formed some seals. Then, he gripped the wire in his mouth even tighter. _'Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!' _(Fire Element: Dragon Fire Technique)

Flames erupted around Sasuke, but didn't harm him. They shot down along the wire in Sasuke's mouth to the wires wrapped around Orochimaru. There was the sickening sound of flesh bubbling, burning, and the splitting and burning of wood. Orochimaru's bloodcurdling screech echoed throughout the forest, loud at first, and then slowly dying down until only a faint sizzling was heard. The flames slowly died down around Sasuke and then disappeared altogether.

Hikari watched as Sakura got up and sprinted towards Sasuke, who was hunched over and had his hands on his knees. She smiled briefly and then, quickly and quietly, slipped around to the other side of the tree trunk so that it concealed her. And she placed her hands over her heart and waited.

The soft 'twang' of wires snapping told her that it was time. She closed her golden eyes slowly and mentally focused. The light of day was growing dimmer each second, so she knew she didn't have much time. And then she heard it, momentarily distracting her.

The way _his _voice suddenly changed from a woman's… to a man's… hissing and low…

Hikari shook her head for a few moments and then regained her focus. Suddenly, she felt an uncomfortable stretching sensation in her back. Something soft, yet firm was pushing her away from the trunk of the tree, and there was a light rustling as her snow white wings appeared.

Then, there was a shifting of cloth against her skin. The slightly coarse black material of her clothing suddenly seemed to soften and feel lighter, like silk. Then, she felt the familiar warmth of light, and not the dim light of sunset, but of the powerful, comforting light that seemed to be _inside her_.

And when Hikari opened her eyes, they were brighter than any star, more golden than any sun, and there was something about the shine that shifted and sparkled to reveal something that offered comfort, compassion, courage, and a feeling of being protected all at once.

It was time to hold in the secret no more, because now, it was time to determine the Fate of the ones she had come to know and care for and protect even more so than herself.

_'And this time,' _Hikari thought, steeling herself for what was to come. _'Things will turn out better for you… **I promise**.' _

XXX

Orochimaru smirked as he flipped the Heaven Scroll he held in his hand and brought it out in front of his face, the mask he wore now deformed and revealing a single golden eye with a light purple surrounding it.

"As your little brat of a teammate stated earlier, I am Orochimaru." he announced, his voice sounding like the hiss of a snake. "If you wish to see me again, get through this exam like you life depends on it." Then, green flames began to crackle, emerging from his hand and incinerating the Heaven Scroll.

"In other words," he continued, a malicious tone in his voice. "You'll have to defeat my subordinates, the three Sound ninja."

Sakura spoke up from her position, frozen on the ground. "What nonsense are you talking about?!" she demanded. But she was worried. _'Where did Hikari go?'_ Then, Sakura scowled and shouted, "We don't ever want to see you again! Leave Sasuke alone, you creep!"

Orochimaru chuckled darkly, and his smirk widened, stretching, and sickening to look at. "I'm sorry…" He formed a hand seal.

"…But I'm afraid it doesn't work that way."

Sasuke and Sakura watched, horrified beyond words at the sight of Orochimaru's neck stretching and growing longer. His neck stretched longer and longer, coiling in the air and rushing his head towards his target, frozen in his place. Orochimaru's smirk then became a twisted smile, and pearl-white fangs were bared, just waiting to sink as deeply as possible into their prey…

But he was suddenly stopped by a flash of light and the rough grip of a hand wrapped tightly around his neck. The hand was soft and not meant to be hurtful, but the touch burned like the flames of Sasuke's Fire Jutsu…

Orochimaru's fangs were two inches away from Sasuke's neck.

"No, Orochimaru…" a familiar voice spat, hissing like his own but filled with hate. Golden eyes flashed up at his own, but they were different. _Her _eyes had the ability to show emotions now foreign to him. Emotions like friendliness and love and comfort, but this time, at this very moment, they held only the desire to protect the ones close to her and the loathing she held for him.

Hikari tightened her grip and she took mild satisfaction in knowing that an Angel's touch burned him, the purity of her own soul too much for his darkened, tainted, and evil one. And she hissed one more thing before she flung him as hard as she could away from Sasuke.

"…I'm afraid that it doesn't work _this way._"

XXX

**Author's Note: Cliffie! Ahaha, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know Alicia did, because as soon as I started the Author's Note, she started jumping up and down on my bed screaming, 'That was the most fucking awesome thing, EVER!!!' **

**Ah, how I love my psycho friend.**

_You should! And OMG, how GREAT is Fate?! I love her stories!!! And I get to sleep over because I have no school tomorrow, LUCKY ME! _

**Well ANYWAY, since Alicia has gone back to jumping on the bed (As soon as I'm done with this, I'll join her)****I ask only one thing of you; Review, please:D **_Yes yes REVIEW HER! _

_Alicia _

**And Fate! **


	21. Heaven's Fury! The Fight Begins!

**Author's Note: Well, this is it folks. The chapter you've (Hopefully) been waiting for with the (Hopefully!) epic battle between Hikari and Orochi-I-likes-me-some-little-boys-Maru. The whole thing has been fermenting in my mind's eye for a few weeks, and I've done painstaking work to come up with Hikari's weapons and jutsus (Which will be of the element of light!), and she even has her own Summon! **

_OMG, she does, and it is so COOL! _

**Alicia, you flatter me. X3 Anywho, I'm so nervous about what all you readers will think of this chapter… Eep! **_Lol, it's true, she keeps biting her lip and making squeaking sounds. _**SHUT UP!!! **

_XD _

**Disclaimer: **_Izzy doesn't own Naruto! _**Or 'Angel' by Sarah McLachlan. **

XXX

_'In the arms of an Angel, _

_Fly away from here. _

_From this dark, cold hotel room, _

_And the endlessness that you fear. _

_Oh, you are pulled from the wreckage _

_Of your silent reverie. _

_You're in the arms of an Angel. _

_May you find some comfort there.' _

**_-Sarah McLachlan, 'Angel' _**

XXX

Hikari stared, seething with anger and hatred, at the man who had dared try to harm her teammate. _'You… You'll pay. I won't let you near them, you won't win, you WON'T…' _She bit her bottom lip and reached towards the two weapons fastened to either side of her.

_'I'll send you to Hell.' _

Orochimaru blinked once and rubbed his neck, which still felt like it was burning. _'That girl's touch…' _He stared upwards at Hikari, and his eyes narrowed. _'Interesting…' _

"H-Hikari?!" Sakura exclaimed, her emerald eyes wide with shock and confusion. The girl in front of her looked like Hikari from the back… except she didn't…

Slowly, Hikari turned her head to look at Sakura and Sasuke, and she saw their expressions become one of surprise. She blinked her shimmering golden eyes once and smiled lightly. "It's me…" she murmured.

Sasuke blinked. _'What the-' _

Suddenly, Orochimaru began to chuckle, and all gazes snapped towards him. He had stood up and was walking toward Hikari, his gaze scrutinizing.

"My, you're full of surprises, little girl…" he hissed as he drew closer. He eyed Hikari's snow white wings and clothes. Then, his gaze darted to the two swords fastened to her sides.

The sword on Hikari's left side had a uniquely designed hilt, and Orochimaru was sure it was made from pure gold. There were intricate designs of a color that looked like pure moon glow, and there was also an unreadable ancient text etched among the hilt, winding upwards and stopping at the blade.

The blade of the sword itself was long and sharp, and it seemed to emit a pure, glowing aura that was very powerful. The blade was a color that was somewhere in between silver and pure white, and at the very bottom of it, there was a single word inscribed. _'Tsukiakari,'_ (Moonlight)it read.

The sword on Hikari's right side was a bit smaller, but it seemed grand nonetheless, and it seemed to emit the same strong aura as _Tsukiakari_. The hilt was larger though, and the ancient text that was on _Tsukiakari's _was on this blade's hilt as well. Some of the characters were different, and instead of the moon glow-colored words, they were a pale gold, and the hilt was ivory colored.

The blade was thinner than _Tsukiakari's_, but it curved in some places, making it look even more dangerous and painful to be struck by. At the bottom of the blade, the same place where the word in the other blade was inscribed, there was a different word. _'Hoshiakari.' _(Starlight)

And then, there was Hikari herself. Her face and body remained the same, but everything else was different.

Her black clothes were now gone and replaced by a silky, white, shimmering dress that reached her knees. A golden sash was draped around her waist, and her swords were attached to it. Instead of the traditional ninja sandals, Hikari wore gold colored sandals that were slightly high-heeled. They didn't look very comfortable to move around in, but Hikari was used to them.

Around her neck, she wore a small necklace that seemed to sparkle like the stars. There was an ornament that dangled down from it, and it was shaped and glittered like a teardrop.

On her head, there was a beautiful diadem made of many jewels and beads. It was so bright and sparkled with so many colors. Pure white, silver, pale gold, and a deeper gold all shimmered, and the glow the diadem cast seemed to illuminate her whole face.

The last detail about Hikari was the most outstanding. The snow white wings on her back that had not been there before. They weren't too big, or too small. The soft-looking feathers on her wings ruffled slightly in the breeze, and Hikari drew them closer to her, slightly wrapping them around her.

"Interesting…" Orochimaru repeated, finally shattering the silence that had come over them. He smiled maliciously.

"…Tenshi." (Angel)

"Shut up!" Hikari shouted, taking a step forward. Then, there was a soft, incredulous whisper from behind her.

"...You're an angel?" Sakura breathed, her mind suddenly feeling oddly blank and numb. Hikari turned to look at her with sorrowful, apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry." Hikari said, the apologetic emotion in her eyes seeping into her voice. "I had to keep this a secret, until it was time… Please don't hate me." she pleaded. "But… If you trust me on this… I will explain everything later."

Sakura blinked once, and without thinking, she nodded. Then, Hikari turned to look at Sasuke.

His gaze was fixed on her, and she couldn't tell if he was surprised, or angry with her. His fists were clenched, but his onyx eyes were wide. Then he spoke. "You'd better explain everything later."

Hikari smiled.

"Unfortunately," Orochimaru hissed, and there was the sound of something stretching as he pulled off what remained of his mask. "Your little friend won't be alive when I'm finished here. And neither will you."

"You know _nothing_…" Hikari spat. She glanced upwards, and through an opening in the tree leaves above, she saw bright orange and blood-red light shining down from the opening. _'I can feel it… My light fading with the day's…' _Hikari wrapped her right hand around _Tsukiakari_'s hilt, and she slowly drew the blade and brought in front of her. She smirked, and it was an odd expression to see on her face.

"You have," Hikari spoke slowly, as if she were explaining something simple to a child. "Absolutely no idea of what I am capable of. And for even daring to harm the ones I care for…" Hikari frowned.

"I'll send you straight to Hell."

XXX

Orochimaru scowled at the young girl standing before him. _'This is certainly a nuisance…' _

"Well…" he hissed forming some hand seals. "I guess I'll just have to deal with you first, then. Summoning Jutsu!"

There was the sound of splintering wood, and Hikari leapt back as part of the branch she was on broke away when a large snake appeared. She quickly placed _Tsukiakari _back in its place and began to form hand seals.

Sakura blinked and stared in awe. _'I… I've never seen those seals before! What is she doing?!' _

Hikari concentrated as hard as she could on forming the hand seals, but she was aware that the large snake Orochimaru had summoned was moving towards her, and she knew she had to act fast.

_'Sun, Moon, Earth, Stars, Heaven, Stars, Earth, Moon, Sun, Moon, Stars…' _

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at Hikari. _'What is she doing? Those seals…' _He growled.

"Kill her now!" he ordered the large snake, which was happy to oblige.

Hikari's golden eyes flashed up at the moving beast, and her hands formed the last seal. _'Sun!' _Hikari raised her arms up over her head, and she positioned her hands as if she were grasping something.

Sasuke and Sakura stared at their teammate from their position on the tree, both more than a little confused. Sakura squinted at Hikari's hands, which seemed to be glowing slightly. Suddenly, she pointed and cried out, "Sasuke, look!"

Hikari brought one hand in front of her, palm up, and immediately, she began to feel something begin to pulse in her palm.

The light shifted and swirled, and then began to gather and grow in Hikari's palm. It was different colors, in some places a soft gold and others swirls of pure white. The ball of light continued to pulse and fluctuate in energy, but the energy it did have caused a small breeze to kick up and leaves and dust to flutter around in the air.

Hikari turned her head back to look at Sakura and Sasuke, who were still standing behind her, shocked expressions on both their faces.

"You guys get Naruto and go somewhere safe! You don't want to be here during this fight!" she warned.

"Are you crazy?! We're not leaving you alone with this madman!" Sakura shouted.

"I only told you to get somewhere safe! I never said anything about running away, so you can stay if you want! But just don't join the battle- I'm serious!!!" Hikari shouted back, aware that Orochimaru and his snake were getting closer and closer.

"Okay." It was Sasuke who answered, and with that, he grabbed Sakura and hopped away to retrieve the still-unconscious Naruto.

Hikari turned back to face Orochimaru and his snake, who were still coming at her. The ball of light in her palm was now quite large, and it was pulsing so rapidly and loudly that the periodical thuds could be heard, sounding much like a slow, steady heartbeat.

"No matter what pathetic jutsu that is, you won't make it out of here alive, little girl!" Orochimaru snarled at her.

Hikari scowled and spread her snow white wings. She bent her legs slightly and prepared to take off. _'Just _watch _me, bastard.'_ And then, she was flying.

Sasuke and Sakura, who had gotten Naruto, where hiding among some branches in one of the nearby trees, and they watched as their golden eyed teammate took off and began to soar. Hikari's wings flapped quickly one moment, and then she was gliding and rising gracefully, higher and higher until, within a few moments, she was almost at the tops of the trees. And then, her voice rang out in the forest.

"Hikari: Hebun Fungeki!" (Light: Heaven Fury)

Hikari turned and then spread her wings as far as they could go, feeling the wind rush under them and propel her faster as she descended. Orochimaru had changed the direction his snake was moving in, and the great beast was stretching its neck up towards her. For a brief moment, Hikari's mind wandered to other things; were her teammates well hidden and safe? Would she be punished for her abrupt actions later? Would she even survive from the fight with such a dark evil?

But a moment later, Hikari was forced to push all those other thoughts out of her mind as she felt her hand connect with something and felt all the built up energy and light suddenly erupt into a frenzied explosion. And then one more thought popped into her mind. Was Orochimaru shocked? After all, she hadn't hit the snake.

It wasn't even her target.

XXX

**Author's Note: I know, I know, it's short, but my parents want me to get off my laptop. Meanies. I wanted a longer chapter for you guys, but I also wanted to end with a cliffie. **

**This is what I got. **

**But trust me, the next chapter will be longer, and it will have more action. You can speculate as to what will happen (I'm pretty sure most of you are thinking, 'Orochimaru got blown up! YES!!!'). And lucky you, you got to see one of Hikari's Jutsus. Her Summon will show up in the next chapter. **

**And, it would help if any of you guys knew where I could find some clips of Orochimaru doing some of his evil Jutsu (I've heard of one called Summoning Jutsu: Rashomon, and it sound really interesting.). If anybody knew where I could find clips, or knows when this jutsu was used, please tell me. **

**In the meantime, drop a review by, please! **

**Fate **


	22. Full Power And Total Destruction

**Author's Note: Hey, peoples. Sorry the update took so long, but there have been a lot of family problems going on, so writing hasn't exactly been my top priority. In this chapter, Hikari's summon will show up (Hope you guys like it), and you'll get to see more of her jutsus and other attacks. **

**By the way… Hikari's Summon is a female, just to clarify that. **

**And, Spirit Seer (whose reviews are teh AwEsOmE!), you might recognize a little something-something in this chapter from our previous chats. :3 **

**Again, I apologize for not updating for so long. Hope you enjoy this chapter, because the battle concludes in it. But worry not, I'll make it a long chapter to make up for last time. **

**Oh! One more thing; the ending will NOT be the one most of you are hoping for, as in, Orochimaru will not die… yet. The ending will be abrupt, and it will be explained in the next chapter. So, don't kill me! After all, you wanna see the outcome of this story… right? **

**Disclaimer: The only things I own are this laptop and my ideas. Sucks, don't it? **

XXX

Hikari stumbled back a few steps as the energy of the attack faded, as did the ball of light in her hand. Hikari squinted through the dust clouds that had risen from the energy of Hebun Fungeki, and she saw a figure sprawled against the trunk of the tree. Hikari breathed a sigh of relief.

_'So I hit him…' _

Hikari blinked once and then squinted again as the dust clouds cleared away, and the form of Orochimaru became fully visible. But a cold feeling set in the pit of Hikari's stomach, and she took a wary step forward. _'Something's off… But what-' _

Orochimaru suddenly turned into mud and dripped off the tree branch. Hikari's eyes widened.

"Bastard!" she exclaimed, and as she sprang into the air, the sudden loud sound of splintering wood resonated from below her. She turned her head and in the dim light of dusk she saw the large, scaly head of a snake breaking through the branch. The real Orochimaru smirked up at her from the head of the beast. Hikari's brow furrowed.

_'Might as well go full-tilt now,' _she thought. Hikari spread her wings and flapped twice before tucking them in and dropping down onto a branch. Below her, she saw Orochimaru and his snake moving upwards toward her, so she bit her thumb as hard as she could until she tasted the bitterness of blood.

Hikari rapidly formed the necessary hand seals as quickly as she could- Orochimaru had seen them and was now moving faster. Hikari slammed her hand down onto the branch- Orochimaru's snake opened its mouth and lunged. Hikari's eyes narrowed.

"SUMMONING JUTSU!!!"

XXX

Sakura's emerald eyes widened and she sprang up from her place on a branch high up in the forest, out of harm's way. Through the darkness setting in, she saw Sasuke glance up at her from his spot on the branch.

"What's your problem?"

A loud explosion suddenly sounded through the forest, and as Sakura left her place beside Naruto and ran towards the edge of the branch, Sasuke stood up and his eyes narrowed. He watched Sakura kneel down at the edge of the branch and look down below.

Sakura scanned the area below her, Naruto's, and Sasuke's hiding place and then gasped. "Sasuke, come here!" she called, and Sasuke, mildly curious, obeyed. He walked over and stood next to Sakura, warily peering over the edge of the branch.

"Holy shit…"

Far below them, as smoke cleared away, a large creature, much larger than Orochimaru's snake, emerged and raised its head, letting out a roar. The creature had sparkling, aquamarine scales, and its wings were aquamarine as well, large and majestic. It had an arrowed tail, which was swooshing back and forth, and its jeweled eyes were as gold as its master's.

"Orochimaru," came Hikari's voice, loud and confident. "Meet Seiitsu, Doragon Kanshisha no Hebun." (Purity, Guardian Dragon of Heaven)

XXX

Orochimaru hissed in pain as he leapt back off his giant snake, and sharp, large teeth grazed his side. As he landed on a branch, he heard the splintering of wood ahead and looked up to see his snake summon crash through a branch and plummet to the forest floor.

Hikari leapt off of Seiitsu's head and charged at Orochimaru, _Tsukiakari _gripped tightly in her right hand. _'Seiitsu, protect my friends. Make sure they stay away from the battle.' _Hikari thought. She felt Seiitsu spread her wings and fly off the branch.

A few yards away from Orochimaru, Hikari abruptly stopped running, skidding to a stop on her right foot. Orochimaru blinked in surprise, and Hikari smirked and then pivoted three-hundred-sixty degrees, swiftly and gracefully slicing through the air with her blade.

"Tsukiakari Shokkuueibu!"(Moonlight Shockwave) she cried. Suddenly, the blade of _Tsukiakari _seemed to glow with the moon's light indeed, and a wave of blinding ivory light was expelled from the edge of the blade and sped towards Orochimaru. The attack hit Orochimaru in the gut, and he let out a cry of pain as the light sank into his skin and burned him.

Orochimaru looked up and glared at Hikari. "What kind of witch-craft is this?!" he demanded. Hikari raised a brow at him as she began walking towards him once more.

"Witch-craft? Hardly," she said icily. Her golden eyes sparkled with satisfaction. "This is simply the result of what happens when you mess with an angel, especially an angel like me." Hikari narrowed her eyes and drew _Hoshiakari_.

"And I'm not done with you yet."

XXX

Sakura gaped at the scene below her. She had just witnessed Hikari's Tsukiakari Shokkuueibu attack, and she was still reeling from the fact that she had just found out her friend was an angel.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, a bit of an edge in his tone. Sakura didn't hear him.

"Sakura," he tried again, raising his voice slightly. Again, he went unnoticed.

Sasuke abruptly grabbed Sakura's elbow, and she jumped. "Sa-ku-ra," he hissed, and the pink-haired kunoichi looked at him.

"What?" Sakura asked, and then she noticed that Sasuke wasn't looking at her, but above them. Sakura turned her gaze upwards and shrieked in surprise, which caused Sasuke to clamp a hand over her mouth.

A pair of large, jeweled eyes blinked down at them. "There is no need to be alarmed," Seiitsu the dragon said. She blinked once. "I am here to help you and Hikari." Seiitsu slowly lowered herself until her neck was level with the branch Sakura, Sasuke, and the unconscious Naruto were on. "Jump on," Seiitsu said.

Sakura's eyes were slightly wide and she turned to look at Sasuke for reassurance once he had removed his hand from her mouth. Sasuke stared back at her for a moment before slightly pushing her forward and then going to get Naruto. Sakura cautiously walked to the edge of the branch, and Seiitsu lowered her large head so Sakura could safely hop onto her long, slender neck. Sakura leapt forward and gracelessly landed on Seiitsu's neck, slightly sliding to the side. Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, her legs on either side of Seiitsu's neck.

A few moments later, Sasuke leapt onto the great dragon's neck, Naruto slung over his shoulder. He sat behind Sakura and placed Naruto between them, careful not to let him slip off. Seiitsu slowly rose, flapping her great, aquamarine wings a few times, and then she soared up towards the tops of the trees.

"Are you afraid?" came the gentle question from Seiitsu. Sasuke scoffed and Sakura shook her head.

"Um… S-Seiitsu, right?" Sakura asked, sounding a bit timid.

"That is correct. Is something wrong?"

"Uh, it's just… Hikari will be okay, won't she?" Sakura asked, peering down into the forest, now darker than it had been before, now that night had come. She could just barely make out the forms of Orochimaru and Hikari.

A low rumble came from Seiitsu, and her neck vibrated below the trio, startling Sakura. "I believe that Hikari is capable of keeping you all safe. After all, if she went this far for you three, then she wouldn't give up very easily."

"What do you mean 'she went this far?'" Sasuke asked just then. "What has she done that is so great that it had to be kept a secret?"

Seiitsu's head turned slightly towards them, and she was silent as she turned in the inky black night sky and began to fly in a large circle. After a few moments, she spoke again.

"Hikari is without a doubt one of the most defiant angels I've ever met. She is kind-hearted, and she is compassionate, brave, and strong-willed as well. Those are the reasons why I have chosen her as my master out of all the angels in Heaven." There seemed to be amusement in the great dragon's voice. "It's also because she cared enough about you three, people she had never personally met, ever… And gave you a second chance at life."

XXX

Hikari cried out in pain as Orochimaru slammed his fist into her jaw and sent her flying backwards. Hikari's head slammed into the trunk of the tree, and the diadem she was wearing bounced off of the tree trunk and landed at Orochimaru's feet. Orochimaru smirked and kicked the diadem off of the branch, and Hikari let out a cry of anger.

"You… How dare you…" Hikari said, her voice hoarse as she used _Tsukiakari _and _Hoshiakari _as support to stand. She gripped the handles tightly as the blades dug into the tree bark and she slowly stood upright.

Orochimaru chuckled. "I thought you were going to be challenging prey, but I am disappointed. I wish I could've had more fun," Orochimaru faked a dismayed voice, but the fact that he was mocking her was obvious by the wicked smile that was on his face. He pulled out a kunai and raised his arm to strike her with it.

Just then, Hikari suddenly glowed brightly, and her form melted away and turned into light which swirled in the air in front of him.

"Surprise."

Orochimaru whirled around just in time to block the sword coming his way. Using his kunai, he pushed Hikari back, and she spread her wings and rose in the air. She smiled. "Clones made of light. Very convincing when infused with my own light," she said as the light from the clone rose through the air and wrapped around her form like a sparkling ribbon.

Hikari frowned and said, "You're underestimating my potential." She suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Orochimaru. "That's unwise."

Hikari put her swords back onto her sash and formed the 'Heaven' seal. "Aura Solidification!" The sparkling ribbon of light around Hikari suddenly looked less wispy, and Hikari reached out and grasped one end of it and flicked her wrist, making the ribbon of light coil like a whip.

Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals and shouted, "Senei Jashu!"(Hidden Shadow Snake Hands) A snake suddenly shot of his sleeve and sank its fangs into Hikari's arm. Hikari cried out in pain and swept her arm out, flicking her wrist as she did so. The Light Whip swung upward and neatly sliced the snake's head off. The body of the snake fell to the branch and Hikari pulled the head of the snake off of her, causing droplets of blood to leak from the two puncture marks in her arm.

Orochimaru chuckled as she glared at him. "You might want to get the venom out of your system. After all, it's lethal; death is guaranteed in fifteen minutes if not quickly treated."

Hikari scowled at him. "Fifteen minutes?" Hikari grabbed the end of the Light Whip with both hands. "I'll be done in five."

Quick as a flash, Hikari moved her arm forward and flicked her wrist; the Light Whip swung forward and coiled around Orochimaru's arm and jerked him forward. Hikari spread her wings and flew forward, reaching out and grasping Orochimaru's collarbone. Orochimaru hissed as the feeling of fire burning on his skin spread where Hikari was grasping. He took his kunai and slashed at Hikari's arm; she moved back, but not fast enough to completely avoid the attack, which left a shallow gash just below her elbow.

Hikari flapped her wings twice and glided upward, feeling the wind sliding beneath her wings. Somewhere up ahead, she saw Seiitsu circling in the sky, and she could just barely make out her teammate's forms on Seiitsu's neck. Hikari swung her arm forward and threw her Light Whip in the air, quickly forming the 'Earth' seal.

"Aura Dissipation!" she called, and the Light Whip suddenly separated into tiny particles of glittering light.

"Senei Ta Jashu!" (Multiple Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)

Hikari turned her head slightly and saw at least thirty snakes shooting towards her, their bared fangs dripping with venom. She quickly turned and attempted to fly upwards, but a few snakes had already wound themselves around her ankles, and their tails were wound tightly around Orochimaru's arm. Hikari narrowed her eyes and turned forward, performing some hand seals.

_'Stars, Sun, Stars, Heaven!' _As Hikari locked the 'Heaven' seal, she called out, "Aura Solidification: Second Stage Light!" Hikari stretched her arms out, reaching up towards the light particles that were beginning to gather and solidify once more.

Hikari's eyes widened as her gaze snapped around. At least ten more snakes had slithered up her body and were now winding around her arms, pulling them down. Hikari struggled and freed her right arm, reaching up and grabbing the almost fully-solid object floating in the air.

_'He's trying to pull me down… But I can't let him! I can't let him win!' _Hikari thought, as her hand closed around a smooth, warm object, glowing slightly in the dark. "Now that I've got my bow…" she murmured to herself, twisting her body and striking some snakes with the end of her weapon. The creatures went limp and slipped off of her arm, plummeting down and out of sight.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as he watched Hikari. "Just what are you planning to do with that bow, Tenshi-chan? You don't even have any arrows, you foolish brat!"

Hikari turned and looked at him, meanwhile hitting the snakes that continued to slither up towards her arms again. "I told you—_Don't call me that_!" she shouted, and then she narrowed her eyes. "I've had it with you!" Hikari pressed her index and middle finger to the necklace she wore. As the necklace began to glow, Hikari drew her fingers away, and a long, smooth, ivory colored arrow extended from the necklace. Hikari grabbed the arrow and notched it, pointing it up towards the sky instead of Orochimaru.

The tip of the arrowhead became level with one of the stars in the sky, and as soon as it did, the arrow pulsed and the arrowhead began to sparkle as a ball of light slowly gathered around it. Hikari turned back around and aimed the arrow at Orochimaru, and then released it. As soon as she did, the snakes began hissing loudly and wrapping around her body tighter. Hikari formed some more hand seals. "Angel Technique: Evil's Bane!"

Orochimaru jumped back to avoid the arrow, the snakes still wrapped around his arms letting go to slither up and wrap themselves around Hikari. To his surprise, the arrow moved and followed him as he maneuvered through the tree branches. The arrow crashed through every tree branch and stayed on target.

Hikari smiled slightly, despite the fact that the snakes were beginning to suffocate her, and the venom in her body was beginning to take effect. She was starting to lose the feeling in her legs. "That jutsu… is one that enables my light to control the arrow. It will follow you, and if you are struck with it… you will die," she murmured.

As Orochimaru continued to dart through the trees, Hikari struggled to fly, but found that the snakes had wrapped themselves around her wings, and she was slowly descending. Her eyes widened in fear when from somewhere in the trees, Orochimaru called out, "Cripple her, _now_!"

The snakes suddenly constricted, and there was the sound of sickening cracking of bones and Hikari's scream of agony as the snakes broke her wings. Hikari's vision became blurred by tears of pain, and she realized with dreadful suddenness that the snakes had trapped her arms to her sides so that she couldn't grab her swords or hit them with her bow. As she struggled with the snakes, Hikari fell through the air and slammed painfully onto the surface of a branch. She also noticed that she was dangerously close to the edge.

_'No… He's already got me trapped in a bad position…' _Hikari thought, and then she winced as she felt the snake venom from before beginning to numb her torso and arms. _'It's… paralyzing me… No… No!' _

Hikari gasped as Orochimaru suddenly appeared in front of her. He scowled at her and hissed, "You may have almost outsmarted me, _Tenshi-chan_, but I have a trick up my sleeve that not even _you _can escape." He gave her a twisted grin.

"L-Leave Sasuke alone…" Hikari rasped. The snakes were wrapping themselves around her more tightly still. "I know… you want to use him for your own sick purposes. I know… everything you plan to do." Hikari smiled oddly then, her eyes hollow and smile half-hearted. "But you _failed._"

Orochimaru's grin disappeared, replaced by a hard frown and narrowed eyes. "You _failed_, Orochimaru. You will _never _obtain the power you want, because your greed for it will lead to your doom."

Orochimaru began to scowl. "No," he whispered.

Hikari's smile faded, and she whispered the single word that she knew would set him off. _'It's better me… than my teammates.' _

"_Yes_."

Orochimaru began to form hand seals, and Hikari's eyes widened as she recognized them.

_'Hand seals for forbidden jutsu… Forbidden jutsu from the Underworld. _

XXX

Sasuke and Sakura opened their mouths to question Seiitsu about Hikari some more, when the large dragon suddenly stiffened and shuddered. The members of Team Seven felt her large, aquamarine scales vibrate slightly underneath them.

Sakura's brow furrowed in worry. "Seiitsu?"

"He's going to kill her." Seiitsu murmured, her voice threaded with fear. Sasuke and Sakura's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, his own voice holding a very mild tone of worry. "Hikari's not going to die; she can't."

Seiitsu's head turned to the side, and she was about to answer. Suddenly, a large explosion sounded from below, and shockwaves rippled through the air and pushed them up roughly. However, they all noticed one thing; the shockwaves were black.

Sakura looked over the edge of Seiitsu's neck and gasped at the sight below her. Flames had engulfed a part of the forest where Orochimaru and Hikari had been fighting, and the air slightly crackled with electricity. What shocked her even more so were the black, sinister looking things that were moving in the forest. The things got larger as Seiitsu flew down towards where the explosion had happened, but Sakura still couldn't tell what they were. Sakura looked back up and then glanced on either side of her. She screamed.

Sasuke started at Sakura's shriek of terror, and he reached forward and grasped her elbow, which caused her gaze to whip around and focus on him. Her emerald eyes were wide with fear, and her face was suddenly very pale. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he asked, "What is wrong with you?"

Sakura slowly turned and jerkily pointed to an area on her left. Sasuke turned and blanched, his eyes widening as well. "Oh, _shit_."

Dangling on a branch a few feet away from their position, was Hikari. Her wings were bent at sickening angles, her dress and sash torn, and the diadem dangling from her hair had lost several jewels and had cracked others.

She was covered from head to foot in her own blood, which was still dripping from her body.

XXX

**Author's Note: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! Hikari's not dead (Again, I ain't that stupid.), but sadly, Orochimaru got away. In the next chapter, I will explain what happened, so relax. **

**On the other hand, I hope this chapter met your expectations, my dear readers, because it sure as hell gave me about a million migraines. -Sigh- I hope I did okay with the fight (Cause I SUCK at writing them), because most of it was cranked out during this week, and I was sick from school all week cause McDonalds poisoned my frickin' hamburger! (At least I think they did SOMETHING to it. Ain't never hurled so much in my entire life…) **

**ANYWHO, reviews are much appreciated, and I hope I did a good job for you guys! **

**P.S. New manga chapter GO SASUKE! **

**Review, please! **

**Fate **


	23. Memories Flickering Endlessly

**Author's Note: Hi! In this chapter, you will get some explanations on what Orochimaru did to Hikari. And BTW, I also wanted to thank everybody who reviewed and/or read the last chapter. Gracias! And, congratulations Spirit Seer, you were the 100th reviewer of this story! **

**Have a Sasu-chan plushie! **

**Also, on a more sad note, I will probably not have time to work on this story as much as I want to in the next 3 months, due to the fact that I have landed a role in our school's musical, a variation of The Wizard of Oz. **

**…I am Toto! XD Although, that's kind of weird because I tried out for Dorothy, and instead, got the role of her pet… **

**…Hm. **

**Oh well! At least I'm in every scene (and I get to bark at others! XD)! **

**…Woof. :3 **

**BTW, like the song I picked for this chapter? **

**Disclaimer: Ode to A Lawyer: Me no own, you no sue; I wrote this disclaimer, so screw you. This also applies to 'Sound of the Wind' by Yae. (Yes, I friggin' know that doesn't rhyme, dammit!) **

XXX

_'Deep inside, so silently, _

_My heart must beat. _

_Deep inside of me, _

_Memories flickering and shimmering on, _

_Endlessly. _

_Keeping close to the path, _

_Morning sky watching over all. _

_Moving over endless mountains up so high, _

_Walking to the light. _

_Your heart will see the path, _

_And you will find the way. _

_Just wait and see. _

_Moving over endless sky, oh-so-high. _

_Tomorrow, _

_We'll follow, when in doubt, _

_Your promises today. _

_Just wait and see.' _

_**-Yae, 'Sound of the Wind' **_

XXX

"Hikari!" Sakura had snapped out of her horrified trance and leapt off Seiitsu's neck, grabbing onto the branch below Hikari. She swung herself upwards and planted her feet firmly on the branch before reaching out to her friend.

"Sakura, I don't think it's wise to move her," Sasuke said from his place on Seiitsu's neck.

Sakura looked over her shoulder at him. "I won't leave Hikari just hanging here! She needs medical help! Maybe, if we find one of the proctors or an adult-"

"Sakura," Sasuke cut her off. "How could we possible explain _her state_?"

Sakura frowned and then turned to look back at Hikari. She was dangling from the branch because it had torn through the shoulder of her dress somehow. There were visible, deep lacerations on her arms, legs and face, and her once-white dress was now stained a deep, crimson color. The blades of her swords had also been splashed with blood as well.

Her wings seemed like an entirely different matter, and far worse at that. The bottom of her left wing was bent upward, the feathers ruffled and slightly stuck together and colored crimson. There was also a large cut running from the center of her wing to her back, and that wound was still dripping blood.

Hikari's right wing was half-bent inwards, and there was a hole in it about the size of a child's fist. The piece of wing where the hole was, was still attached and dangling from a bit of skin and feathers. Her right wing was also splashed with a gruesome amount of blood.

Sakura drew a breath and said, "Then I'll take care of her myself, and you take care of Naruto." When she received no reply, Sakura cautiously reached up and pulled Hikari's sleeve free of the branch. Hikari fell forward, and when Sakura caught her, a wheezing, pained-sounding breath came from Hikari. Sakura just barely kept from wincing as the soft _drip, drip_ sound of Hikari's blood became even more audible, and the pained, wheezing sound came from Hikari again.

"Seiitsu… what did Orochimaru do to her?" Sakura asked, her voice suddenly containing an almost undetectable undertone of tension… and anger.

Seiitsu did not answer the question right away, but first said, "Hurry and get back on my neck. We can not stay here any longer."

Sasuke fixed his gazed on the aquamarine scales on the back of Seiitsu's head and asked, "What will happen if we do?"

Seiitsu's large head turned slightly to the side, jeweled, golden eyes glittering with worry. "I might not be able to save Hikari. The darkness left behind by whatever jutsu was used that caused this destruction will contaminate her soul even more, and she will be destroyed."

Sakura carefully but quickly hopped back onto Seiitsu's neck, terrified by the wheezing breaths that Hikari took, and terrified by the possibility that she might lose her friend.

_'She saved us… and now she's paying the price.' _

"Let's get out of here."

XXX

"I've been transferring some of my light to Hikari throughout the way here," Seiitsu spoke as Sasuke and Sakura began to set up a small camp in a large clearing. "The darkness placed in her is disappearing, and she should wake up soon."

Indeed, Hikari was no longer wheezing and sounding pained as she inhaled and exhaled, and a few minor lacerations had already healed, while more severe ones were beginning to mend.

Sakura looked at Seiitsu gratefully. "Thank you, we owe you one."

Seiitsu's eyes shimmered in the darkness. "It was nothing. After all, Hikari's taken quite a liking to you people, and because of that, I chose to obey her request that I keep you out of harm's way during the fight. It's also the reason I chose her as my master; because she has a great heart. I've never met someone so willing to go out of there way for the people they care about."

Sakura flushed and Sasuke's ears reddened as they felt guilt well up inside them. After an uncomfortable moment, Sasuke could think of nothing else to say, except for an absurdly lame comment. "Your help was appreciated, Seiitsu."

The great dragon nodded, sensing the pair's discomfort, and replied, "That's good to know. And when Hikari wakes up, I'm sure she'll be ready to answer the questions you must have." Slowly, Seiitsu began to disappear into small particles of light.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Seiitsu added, and she sounded faintly amused. "Once the explanations are over, it would help if you told Hikari she'd better expect a lecture later on tonight. And if she asks, it won't be from me."

And with that, Seiitsu was gone, only the faint light particles flickering on and off in front of the pair remaining.

It took Sasuke and Sakura a few moments to realize that the 'particles' were really fireflies.

XXX

Half an hour later, Sakura had just finished bandaging up Hikari and Naruto the best she could. It had been rather hard for her when she attempted to pop the bones in Hikari's wings back into place, for the wheezing, pained breaths had returned for a few minutes because of that. Naruto was in much better shape, sleeping contentedly beside the fire pit that Sasuke had crafted.

It was oddly cold for a July night, Sakura thought, warming her hands as she sat down close to the fire. She was keeping an eye on Hikari and Naruto while Sasuke stood guard outside. Shortly after Seiitsu's departure, Sakura had discovered a large space under some tree's roots, and as luck would have it, there was plenty of space for all of Team Seven to fit.

Sakura looked towards the other side of the fire, where a faint rustling sound was coming from. Sakura's face lit up, and she called for Sasuke. He peered into the opening among the roots and then walked into the opening.

"Hikari," Sakura whispered urgently, almost as if she were afraid that speaking in a normal voice would hurt her friend. Hikari was turning her head from side to side, eyes squeezed shut and hands fisting into the ground. "Hikari, come on, you can wake up. You have to wake up."

As if she had heard her friend's plea, a few seconds later, Hikari relaxed. In the darkness, Sasuke and Sakura watched as their teammate's golden eyes slowly opened. Sakura let out a sigh of relief, and Sasuke relaxed his shoulders, which had been tense the entire time Hikari had been unconscious.

"W-Where," Hikari began, her voice hoarse, "Where… are we?"

"Away from Orochimaru," Sasuke answered evenly. Hikari blinked, her eyes sliding in and out of focus as she lifted her head and attempted to fix her gaze on Sasuke. For a split second, he noticed fear in her eyes as she stared at him. More specifically, at his left shoulder. When she blinked again, her sight snapped into focus, and the fear was replaced by immense relief as Hikari looked away and rested her head on the ground once more, closing her eyes.

And then, her eyes shot open, and her entire body stiffened as a torrent of images and sounds that had not yet occurred assaulted her mind. Images and sounds that would have occurred had she not defied Kami-sama himself and altered time and what was to be.

Hikari saw into their old future.

_"I'm different from you guys. I walk a different path than you guys. I tried to think it was my path to do the things we've done up until now. The four of us did things together, but my heart decided on revenge in the end. That's my purpose in life. I can't become like you or Naruto." _

Hikari was vaguely aware of the fact that Sakura and Sasuke had suddenly paled, and Sakura was calling out her name, her voice fearful. She must have looked really bad, Hikari thought, if she had them scared. However, the images and sounds wouldn't stop, and they were agonizing to her.

_"Sasuke, I won't let Orochimaru have you! I'll stop you, even if I have to break every bone in your body!" _

_"You won't even be able to scratch my forehead protector. That won't change, no matter what you try." _

Hikari was now aware of the fact that she was now in pain, and a scorching heat was prickling at the corners of her eyes. She whimpered and tried to block out the memories that did not belong to her, to no avail.

_"I guess I don't have a choice, huh, Naruto? You are powerful. But… I'm even more powerful than you! Chidori!" _

_"Rasengan!" _

Hikari suddenly choked, her body convulsing, and Sakura's eyes widened in fear, and Sasuke paled even more.

"What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know! Seiitsu said she'd be fine! Hikari!"

Hikari had managed to, somehow, block out the images, but the sounds and thoughts were still invading her mind.

_'He wouldn't listen to me because I was too weak. He wouldn't acknowledge me because I was weaker than him.' _

Hikari gasped, and Sakura was alarmed when it was a wheezing, pained gasp. After a few moments, Hikari choked out, "Please… S-stop… St-op…"

_'It took me my whole life to form that bond. I can't let it be broken!' _

Hikari suddenly cried out, and then her body relaxed, eyes squeezed shut and tears streaming down her cheeks. Then, she was suddenly aware of the fact that someone was shaking her shoulder. Slowly, Hikari opened her eyes, and through her blurry vision, she saw pink.

Hikari cracked a weak smile. "S-So… On a scale of one to ten… how much… d-did I scare you?"

Sakura let a short, relieved chuckle escape her, and Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat down beside her and Naruto. "What just happened?" he asked as Sakura took a seat also.

Hikari looked at him. "I'll explain that later," she said solemnly, slowly sitting up. She felt no pain, and what surprised her even more than that was the fact that she saw no wounds on her- only dried blood. She reached behind her and felt bandages. She sent a pulse of light through her wings, and the bandages slipped right off.

Sasuke and Sakura blinked, and Hikari looked at them again, clearing her throat and saying in a warning tone, "Unless you want a minor heart attack, I recommend looking away." Her two conscious teammates didn't move.

_'I warned them,'_ Hikari thought, placing one hand over her heart. Suddenly, her wings began to glow, and Hikari arched her back and let out a hissing breath as her wings, more uncomfortably than usual, slid back into her body. When Hikari turned to look at her friends, she saw that Sakura's jaw had dropped and her eyes had bulged, and Sasuke's eyebrows were raised so high that they were nearly covered by his raven bangs.

"So," Hikari began, her voice raspy once more. She cleared her throat and said, "Fire away."

"What did Orochimaru want?" Sasuke asked. Hikari nodded, remembering that while Sakura somewhat knew the answer, the one who really needed answers was Sasuke.

"Orochimaru wanted you, Sasuke," Hikari said, her tone of voice slightly grim. "He was planning to place a curse seal he had developed on you, which would therefore determine whether or not you were worthy."

"…Worthy of what?" Sasuke asked, almost warily.

"Worthy of being the one Orochimaru would use as his next body. Orochimaru was going to use the Cursed Seal…" Hikari winced, as if finishing the title was painful for her. "…Of Heaven to give you power that would draw you to him."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Power that would… draw me to him?"

Hikari looked at the ground. "The Curse Seal would give you a taste of power that could've helped you kill your brother."

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "What?! You're saying that I could've had the power to kill my brother, and the reason I don't have it now is because of you?!"

He didn't have time to dodge before Hikari's slap could hit him. The pain in his cheek was sharp, and Hikari had suddenly grabbed Sasuke's collar, ignoring Sakura's protests.

"Did you even listen?!" she screamed at him, and the sound of her raised, angered voice was unexpected. "Did you even fucking listen?!" she shrieked, shaking him violently. "That power was evil! It would have corrupted you!!! The promise of it was false, and in the end, once he had you, Orochimaru wouldn't ever have given you the opportunity of going after your brother, EVER!!!"

Sasuke was shocked, and it showed for once, but Hikari continued. Sakura was silent now, listening intently to Hikari's words. "Do you know?" Hikari whispered, her voice sounding pained. "Do you know what that power made you say in the future?" Without waiting for a response she knew she wasn't going to get, Hikari flung Sasuke away (He also hadn't expected that) and turned her gaze to the ground.

"But if I am able to accomplish my goals through nothing more than offering Orochimaru this body of mine… Then he can have my life, and my afterlife for that matter. That's. What. You. Said."

For a second, Sasuke thought that Hikari was going to hit him again. Then, after Sakura had let out a horrified cry, Hikari's words sunk in, and the expression on Sasuke's face, surprisingly, became one of horror. "I… what?"

Hikari looked at him sorrowfully, eyes wide. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"You… said that?"

All eyes turned to Sakura, who was gazing at Sasuke, shocked. Hikari felt guilt well up inside of her, and she murmured, "Those words won't be spoken again, not now that I've interfered."

Sakura's hands balled into fists, and she shocked her teammates by saying in a low tone of voice, "They'd better not be."

Hikari nodded, let out a short, weary sigh, and continued, "Although, now that I've stopped Orochimaru from placing the Curse Seal on you, Sasuke, I don't know what will happen in the future."

"The future?" Sakura questioned. "You mean, you knew what was going to happen before?"

Hikari smiled softly and scooted closer to Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke. She looked at them, a slightly amused glint in her eyes. "This," she said, "Wasn't supposed to happen. Orochimaru originally cursed Sasuke. Since it happened before, I knew exactly how to go back and stop it from happening again."

Realization dawned on Sasuke and Sakura. _'So that's what Seiitsu meant by…' _

_'… Her giving us a second chance at life.' _

Hikari, who was glancing back and forth at the expressions on her teammates' faces, chuckled. "I'm guessing Seiitsu sort of let the cat out of the bag, huh? Well, it saves all of us from a headache, I suppose," Hikari said, removing her cracked diadem from her hair and scratching the top of her head. Using the silence as an opportunity to check over her state, Hikari grimaced at how she looked.

_'Blood, blood, aaand… More blood. Lovely.' _

"So…"

Hikari blinked and looked up at Sakura. "Can… you tell us what was supposed to happen?" the pink haired girl questioned.

Hikari thought for a moment, and then said, "If I told you, it'd be a confusing explanation." Sakura looked disappointed, so Hikari quickly added, "But there is something else that I'm allowed to do."

Hikari crawled until she was right in front of her two conscious teammates and the one unconscious one. "Now, this won't hurt, and it won't be like what just happened to me just as I woke up," she said, holding her palms face-up in front of her.

Sasuke and Sakura watched as, slowly, a faint, silver ball of light began to form in each one of Hikari's palms. As the balls of light grew larger, wispy, indistinct images could be seen materializing and then disappearing. Soft whispers were heard, indistinguishable because the sounds overlapped, and the voices were too soft.

And then, without warning, Hikari pressed a ball of light into Sasuke's forehead, and the other one into Sakura's. Their eyes glazed over and mouths slightly hung open, and they remembered.

"Seal off what has not happened, until the time is right," Hikari whispered, and her voice echoed slightly as the light sunk into her teammates' heads.

Hikari then turned to Naruto and formed another small ball of light, exactly the same as the other two. She reached forward and firmly pressed the light into Naruto's forehead, and the only sign of disturbance was that he twitched and gave an extremely loud snore. Hikari leaned forward and whispered, "Seal off what has not happened, until the time is right. When you wake, you will understand."

Another loud snore from Naruto as the light sunk into his head as well, and then it was silent. Hikari watched Sasuke and Sakura for their reactions. Wryly, she realized that Kami would give her Hell (at this, she almost chuckled) once he found the right time to talk to her. While she didn't doubt that He knew she was going to give her teammates their memories back, Hikari thought it was safe to assume that she'd be in for a nice, little lecture.

Sasuke and Sakura suddenly started out of their daze, and Sakura looked thoroughly shocked, her eyes bulging and mouth fully hanging open. Sasuke was a bit more composed, but he was unnerved, and it showed by the way the color had drained from his face. Sasuke was also gripping his left shoulder so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

Hikari spoke in a solemn tone of voice. "Do you… understand?"

Sakura nodded mutely, and Sasuke whispered a shaky, 'Yeah.' Hikari smiled a little.

"It's a big shock, isn't it?"

"You have no idea how much of an understatement that is," Sakura half-whispered. Hikari chuckled a bit, and then grimaced as she rubbed her arms, suddenly realizing just how uncomfortable the dried blood was making her feel. Sakura blinked.

"Hikari," she began, reaching into her pouch and drawing out a handkerchief and a small canteen full of water. Sakura pulled off the cap and turned the canteen upside down, covering the top with the handkerchief. "What did Orochimaru do to you?" she asked, handing Hikari the damp cloth.

Hikari accepted it gratefully and began to gently scrub away the dried blood. "Orochimaru… used an extremely dangerous jutsu. Up until that moment… I didn't even know he had discovered it, or anything of that type…" she murmured, and Sakura and Sasuke listened intently.

"Tsk." Hikari paused and looked up. "Forbidden Hell Technique: Black Demon Crystal Encasement. That was the jutsu he used."

"Forbidden Hell Technique?" Sasuke questioned.

"It's…" Hikari winced and closed her eyes. "I can't tell you everything, you know that. Certain things must be kept a secret," she said seriously, watching her teammates. They both nodded in understanding, so Hikari drew a breath and began to tell them what she was allowed to.

"A very long time ago, when the Nations were at war, there was a certain clan that didn't participate. They were the Tsukino Clan, and while they were wealthy, not much of them were seen. There had been rumors that the clan was developing a kind of jutsu like none had ever seen. This jutsu was the ultimate form of destruction, some said."

Hikari sighed after making sure her teammates were still paying attention, and was slightly miffed that they seemed very intent on getting this information out of her. "Suddenly, amidst all the war, there was a revolt among the Tsukino Clan. A few of the members of the clan suddenly spoke out about the jutsu, saying that it was worthy of the devil himself." Hikari closed her eyes and continued. "I know… I know that the Head of the Clan was responsible for the jutsu. He did not have humanity in him."

Hikari's eyes opened again, and they sparkled dimly in the darkness. "He was pure evil. I don't know how he had been corrupted, but he was evil, and hungry for power." Hikari paused once more. "He wanted to control the Great Nations, and everybody in them."

Hikari watched the faces of her teammates for their reactions, receiving expressions of surprise. "It's unknown even to me how the Head of the Tsukino Clan got hold of the black power used to develop the jutsu, but they discovered how to draw from the very blackness of Hell. However, the members of the clan who were against the jutsu then began murdering those who were planning on using its destruction. The battle was vicious, both sides rancorous and unwilling to give in. But one member, one who was against the jutsu, managed to kill the Head of the Clan. This person then wrote the secrets of the jutsu, its effects, and how to perform it, on a scroll. The scroll was sealed away Kami-knows-where, which He does," Hikari chuckled slightly at the looks on her teammates' faces.

Suddenly, Hikari scowled. "The Black Demon Crystal Encasement jutsu is a dark jutsu which traps the person it is used upon in a prism made of black crystal. The crystal rises from the ground, and once it has completely encased the person, the faces of the most terrifying demons suddenly appear. The demons then come to life, and they attack the person in the black crystal prism. After that, the demons are then released, and they go back to Hell."

Sakura gasped. "So… those black things that were moving in the forest…"

"…Were demons." Sasuke finished, sounding almost disbelieving of his own words.

Hikari nodded, then said, "Orochimaru must have gotten his hands on the scroll. It's all part of his sick fetish with jutsu. His goal is to learn every jutsu in existence, and to be immortal." Hikari paused, then added distastefully, "The son-of-a-bitch."

Sasuke snorted and said, "I think we've all figured that out."

Hikari and Sakura let out a short chuckle, and then Sakura asked, "But, if you got attacked by all those demons… Well, wouldn't that kill you?"

Hikari smiled and said, "Not me. I'm a Guardian Angel, so I can't die. At least, my soul can't disappear."

"… You're really our Guardian Angel, huh?" Sasuke asked, his voice quiet. Hikari smiled.

"Yeah."

And then, she burst into tears.

"H-Hikari?! What's wrong?!" Sakura asked, alarmed. Sasuke blanched slightly.

"I-I…" Hikari hiccupped and grinned, still sobbing. "I'm happy! I-It's going to be better now! I'm s-so happy!!!" Hikari was bawling quite loudly now, her tears splashing down onto the dirt ground. Sakura, who was closest to Hikari, crawled over and placed an arm around Hikari. When she looked up, Sakura grinned, and then _she _burst into tears of joy.

Sasuke blinked. _'Girls are weird…'_ He looked next to him, where Naruto was sleeping, a goofy, fox-like grin on his face. _'Idiot's probably dreaming about his stupid ramen.' _

Sasuke spared another glance at the girls, and then promptly lay on his side and attempted to go to sleep. He felt a sudden pain in his right temple, and then he opened his eyes and realized Hikari had thrown a small rock at him.

Hikari sniffled and grinned at him. "Tired of the chaos already, Sasuke?"

"…Shut up."

Hikari's grin faltered. "I guess I still have some work to do, huh?" she asked. Sasuke was silent and unmoving for a few seconds.

Then he smirked. "Guess so. But I assume you can handle it, right? After all, you're as bad as Naruto."

Hikari blinked, and then her grin widened. "I'll take that as a compliment. After all, Naruto is strong and nice. So, the way I see it, if I'm as bad as Naruto, then I'm strong and nice. But…" Hikari turned to look at Sakura, and smiled knowingly.

"It's still not as good as being worse than Naruto, eh, Sakura?"

Sakura smiled. "Angels know what to say, huh, Hikari?"

"It's my job!" Hikari chirped.

_**'Indeed it is, Hikari. Do you know what my job is?' **_

Hikari froze.

_'… Letting me off the hook?' _

_**'Ha. Nice try.' **_

XXX

**Author's Note: Ta-da! This chapter is finally done, so I hope you enjoyed it, readers! I'm all happy and anxious because Kay Hooper's new Bishop/Special Crimes Unit novel, Blood Dreams comes out, I think, on the 31st! Yay! **

**And, the latest Naruto manga chapter? Jesus, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. **

**Anywho, reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! **

**Fate**


	24. Beautiful Bloom

**Author's Note: Oh my fuck.**

* * *

"Hikari?"

At the sound of Sakura's quiet voice, the girl in question slowly turned away from the fading embers of the fire to look at her teammate. "Yes? Are you alright, Sakura?"

Sakura's brow furrowed slightly, and she quickly sat down beside Hikari and frowned lightly. "I just have another question. S-sorry if it's a bother," she stuttered, her throat unexplainably tightening with nerves.

"Don't be silly!" Hikari replied. "I hope you and Sasuke know that you can ask me anything you want—and Naruto can as well, when he wakes up."

At the mention of their male teammates, Sakura turned her head to glance behind her. Naruto was still out cold—had been for hours since they had arrived in the clearing—and Sasuke had only just chosen to lie down and make an attempt at getting some rest before morning arrived. However, it seemed that he was having no luck, as his dark eyes flickered briefly towards the pair of kunoichi at the mention of his name.

"It's just…" Sakura tentatively began, running her fingers nervously through her hair. Hikari blinked at the motion, idly wondering at the outcome of the next few hours. What would change? "I wanted to know… are we all really going to be alright?"

There was a brief pause, and Hikari saw Sakura hold her breath, stiffening in her wait for an answer. The raven-haired angel in disguise glanced down at the dying embers for a moment, considering how to respond. True, she had been overjoyed earlier at the thought that the past had been shifted, and therefore, the future as well. It had been her goal since she had purposely re-worked their world and threaded herself into their lives.

Yet, she knew very well that as much as she wanted to control the way things panned out, the world would attempt to stay the course it had been on the first time.

The devastating course.

"I think," Hikari began, bright gold meeting vibrant emerald as she turned, "that we will be alright if we remember the important things."

"The important things?"

Hikari looked past Sakura's shoulder, and seeing that Sasuke was still watching them, raised an arm to beckon him forward. When he had gotten up and approached them, she patted the cold ground and let him sit before beginning to speak again.

"There are things that you both must understand, the first being that there are some things I will not answer, and there are some things I cannot answer. The second thing that you need to understand is that no matter how much I wish otherwise, there are things that will happen that I won't change. Doing what I have done so far will drastically alter the way your lives turn out, there isn't a bit of doubt about that. It will change the way you handle things, and it may change what things come your way—difficulties, decisions to be made, et cetera, et cetera.

"But, as long as you all remember that you are a _team_, and that you all need each other, I believe that the changes that will happen won't all be bad. I believe you'll be okay."

There was silence for a few moments, save for the rustle of trees in a soft breeze and the faint chirping of crickets, before Sakura spoke again. "What about you, Hikari?"

"...What?"

"What about you? You talk about me, Naruto, and Sasuke, but what about you? You're a part of this team, aren't you?"

Hikari blinked, her thoughts halting. "Well, I—"

"It sounds like you aren't planning to stay," Sasuke spoke up for the first time, his voice low. "Are you required to leave now that you have apparently done what you needed to?"

Hikari felt Sakura stiffen beside her, and again, she had to pause in thought. How much longer _did _she intend to stay? Until now, the thought hadn't crossed her mind, or the importance of it. But now that it was there, staring her in the face, she was forced to wonder. "I—" she faltered, "I don't—I don't _have _to leave right now," she answered.

"But are you going to?" Sasuke pressed, and Sakura glanced between the two with wide, worried eyes.

"…No. I'm not," Hikari replied, glancing down at her regular black outfit, which she had brought spares of in case they were needed. _'And they had been,'_ she thought somewhat bitterly.

Hikari felt rather than heard Sakura let a sigh of relief. The pink-haired kunoichi sagged against her, exhaustion clearly taking its toll, and Hikari wrapped an arm around the other's shoulders and squeezing lightly. "Go get some sleep, Sakura. You'll need all the energy you can get."

Sakura gazed blearily at her golden-eyed friend and slowly nodded. She got up and trudged over to the sleeping bags, the true weight of her weariness beginning to seep into her bones. Within moments, she was collapsed on her sleeping bag in a deep slumber.

Hikari smiled softly and turned to look at her only awake teammate, finding him staring absently at the long-faded fire. "Do you have any other questions?" she inquired.

Sasuke didn't take his eyes away from the charred kindling as he responded. "Why are you doing this?"

"So that Team 7 doesn't have all the horrible regrets that it had before. And I hope you know that 'horrible' is an understatement. You don't know what it was like for me, always watching you make the wrong decisions, hurting each other, hurting yourselves. You were pulling away from your own humanity, Sasuke. You focused on one negative thing after another, always looking for more power, always looking for someone to blame.

"And Naruto was always trying to catch up to you. He alone felt that it was his duty to get you back onto the right path. He never gave up on you no matter who else did. He wanted to get strong enough to match you, he wanted your friendship, and he wanted a normal, happy life for you all. The further away you got from that, the more determined he was, and he held on to that drive and hope more and more. It took a toll on him.

"And Sakura was alone. First, she felt that she was never good enough, so she threw herself into the task of _making _herself good enough. And when that was done, she was still alone because you were gone, and Naruto was training or trying to get you back, and she was stuck. So she clung to the same determination that Naruto had of making everything normal again, and it wore her down more and more, until finally, there was nothing more for her to hope for because she lost the strength to hope.

"So, that's why I'm doing this. Does that sound like the future you want, Sasuke?"

He didn't respond, his mind going numb as he tried to absorb and understand this new information. He hadn't known how devastating their life could have been.

Would have been, again.

He decided that he didn't _want _to know.

"I just want to be strong enough. I _need _to be powerful enough to kill—"

"What you need to realize," Hikari snapped, "is that what you _need _to gain your precious power is all right here, in this village, in your _home_! And you _don't _need to go anywhere else to get stronger!"

Sasuke almost flinched at the tone of voice his teammate was using. Save for when she spoke to Orochimaru, she had never sounded so venomous. He chose to remain silent and turn his gaze heavenward.

"Sasuke," Hikari began quietly, her expression softening. "You are so young. And I know you were even younger when the tragedy happened." She saw the young Shinobi's eyes narrow and his mouth twist into a deep scowl. Hikari continued, "But right now, the only thing we all should be focusing on is this exam, and getting out of it alive, together. And after that… when we have time, then we can focus on what happened with Orochimaru, okay? Besides, don't think that people in charge of the exam haven't noticed that something is wrong. Trust me, their focus is to keep things in order, and ours is to keep going. Okay?"

"…Aa."

Hikari grinned and reached over to ruffle Sasuke's hair. The vein in his temple began to throb, and she giggled and backed away. "Alright, alright, human contact is apparently a repulsive concept to you, even though I'm not _really _human. But whatever. My guard shift is over, so you just stay alert and wake up Sakura in a few hours for hers, alright?"

Sasuke nodded, and Hikari stood up and began to walk back to the little camp they had set up under the roots of a great tree. She suddenly paused and turned back. "Oh, and Sasuke?"

He blinked and turned to look at her. "What?"

She smiled, and her golden eyes glinted in the moonlight. "Sometimes, the only one who can protect someone you care about is that person themselves. Just something for you to remember."

And with that cryptic message, she turned and left him to his thoughts.

* * *

Within a few hours, the sun's rays peeked over the horizon, and the painful coil of fear that had been nestled in Sakura's gut all night finally unwound and disappeared. She had yet to wake the boys, but Hikari had risen with the dawn and was currently lying out in the clearing to soak up the rays that gave her strength.

Sakura felt herself teetering on the brink between completely calm and ridiculously hysterical. The words she had spoken with Hikari a few hours prior still bounced around in her head, never once trailing to the back of her mind, and it was honestly driving her a bit crazy. However, she knew what needed to be focused on, and at the moment, it was passing this part of the exam.

"Sakura!" Hikari called suddenly, "Be alert! Someone's placed an exploding tag on this poor squirrel's back!"

Sakura's eyes widened, and from her position under the tree's roots, she turned her head to see her teammate gingerly removing the explosive and setting down the little animal, which hastily scurried away. Emerald met gold, and both kunoichi simultaneously drew their kunai.

"Sakura, go and wake—Ah!" Hikari cried out as a set of wire strings shot out from the foliage behind her, winding around her body and immobilizing her. She fell to the ground hard, gritting her teeth as the wires bit into her skin. _'This is it_,' she thought, her gaze landing back on Sakura, who had frozen in shock. _'Stay strong, Sakura.'_

Sakura felt herself begin to tremble as three people stepped out of the bushes, all of them wearing identical headbands with an eighth note in the center. "You… What do you want?" she demanded, her hands shaking so hard that she fumbled with her kunai.

The one with the bandages covering his face cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. "Wake up Sasuke-kun. We want to fight him," he stated bluntly. When Sakura didn't move, he took a step forward. "Do as we say, little girl. Or we'll just kill you first."

Sakura blanched. _'First? They want to… No! Not Sasuke!' _She gritted her teeth and shouted, "No! I know who you are! You work for Orochimaru, and he… he wants Sasuke for something! First he tried to hurt him, and now you guys want to kill him? Just leave us _alone!_"

Hikari watched from the ground as the Sound Nin advanced forward. She glanced towards the camp and looked past Sakura, seeing that the boys had not yet woken. _'Just a little bit longer…'_

"Zaku," the bandaged man called, and the other male tilted his head in acknowledgement. "We have no use for this girl. Kill her."

Sakura squeezed her kunai tight and deliberately swung out to her right, hearing a dull twang as the kunai sliced through the wire of the log trap that had been set up earlier. The tree groaned, and a massive trunk swung down from above, speeding towards the Sound Nin. Instead of the trio backing away as she had assumed they would, they leapt forward, and their leader pulled back his long sleeves to reveal the large metal object on his right forearm.

"A trap from above? Oh no!" he mocked, pressing his right hand against the tree trunk and forming a seal with the other. Sound pushed through the holes of the metal device and obliterated the trunk, the sound of splintering wood echoing throughout the clearing.

Sakura paled as the trio changed course in midair, charging right at her. "Frankly speaking," their leader began tauntingly, "you have no talent as a ninja. People like you have to work harder to survive. A weakling like you shouldn't mess with guys like us."

"_Sakura!_" Hikari hollered, her gaze flickering between the pink-haired kunoichi, the deadly nin speeding right towards her, and the two prone figures beneath the roots. And then she saw it. Movement. _'Yes!'_

Before anyone could blink, Sasuke was up and charging at the other nin, aiming right for the metal gauntlet on the leader's arm. He drew a kunai and plunged the tip right into one of its many holes, then pushed off the ground and planted his feet firmly on the device. With all the strength he had, Sasuke kicked off and sent the other nin flying across the clearing while he himself landed beside Sakura.

The Sound trio moved back, eyes narrowing as they focused on the Uchiha. Zaku grinned maliciously and hissed, "So… You're finally awake. Unfortunately for you, I'm having a little too much fun right now with _her_… So you'll just have to wait!" With that, Zaku drew more wire strings and sent them hurtling towards Sasuke. His teammates followed his lead, and Sasuke and Sakura leapt apart to get out of the way.

"Sasuke!" Hikari called from her prone position. "Remember what I said!"

For a split second, Sasuke's attention was diverted to his golden-eyed teammate as he attempted to dodge away from the wires.

That split second was all the Sound nin needed. Their wires all simultaneously wrapped around their target, and Sasuke was sent tumbling to the ground and rolling to a stop beside Hikari.

And Sakura was alone in the battle once more.

* * *

"Augh!" Ino groaned in dismay, tugging at her blonde locks. "Why can't we find anybody weaker than us to take a scroll from?"

"You know, the only guys weaker than us are probably Naruto's team," Shikamaru stated tonelessly.

"What are you talking about, stupid?" Ino spat, glaring at her teammate. "Sakura and Naruto are losers, yeah, but they have Sasuke on their team, and he's a genius!"

"Bah, I don't know about that," Shikamaru countered, rolling his eyes. "Even geniuses can crumble under the pressures of the real world."

Ino whipped around and fixed him with a deadly glare, "Don't be stupid! There's no way Sasuke would ever lose to anyone!" She then crossed her arms and smirked smugly. "It's a different story with Sakura though. Ha!"

"But it looks like Sasuke's been immobilized," Chouji piped up, and his teammates turned in surprise to see him pointing off in another direction towards a clearing not too far from them. "And Sakura is the only one fighting."

Ino's eyes widened in shock. "Huh?"

And then she truly observed the scene, and all the blood seemed to drain from her face as she paled.

* * *

"Now then," the Sound trio's leader chuckled. "Let's finish this."

Sakura's eyes narrowed, and she drew three kunai and shuriken in each hand. She whipped the kunai forward and watched in dismay as they bounced off of the Sound nin's metal gauntlet.

Beneath his bandages, his mouth twisted into an unseen, demented grin.

* * *

"You guys," Chouji whispered from their position behind the foliage surrounding the clearing. "I think we should run! Their team is in serious trouble, and those Sound guys look really dangerous!"

"It seems that Naruto is unconscious, and Sasuke and Hikari are only restrained," Shikamaru observed. "Sakura is fighting alone. What will you do, Ino?" he questioned his teammate, whose gaze was riveted on the battle before them.

"What will _I _do?" she repeated numbly, eyes wide and face pale.

"Yeah, well, Sakura's in trouble. Didn't you guys used to be good friends?" he pointed out.

Ino remained silent, staring at the people in the clearing, her legs trembling with the effort to remain upright.

"Ino, what do we do?"

"What c_an _we do?" she snapped, turning to stare at Shikamaru. "We can't just jump out and right into the battle!"

'_If we do_,' she thought, terrified, _'There's no doubt that we will lose.'_

* * *

'_I can do this!' _Sakura thought, flinging forward the shuriken. _'I can do this!'_

Zaku moved to stand in front of his male teammate, his hands forming a seal. "I'll deal with her, Dosu," he smirked. He stretched his hands out, palms forward, and a sudden blast of air pressure sent the shuriken spinning back.

Sakura brought her arms up to block her face from the attack, wincing as the shuriken sliced across the bare flesh. _'He blasted my shuriken back?'_

The thoughts of a retaliation attack flickered across her mind before they dispersed as a sharp yank forced Sakura's head up. '_What? No!' _she realized, her gaze flicking over her shoulder to see the only female Sound nin standing above her as she forced Sakura to her knees.

"You're hair's _much _prettier than mine," she sneered. "Pfft, trying to be a _sexy ninja_? If you have time to take care of your hair, then _train_, you female swine."

Sakura cried out as the hand in her hair twisted and wrenched, feeling her scalp burning with pain. Her vision blurred with tears, but she pulled her head up far enough to look at both of her restrained teammates.

"Sakura," Hikari mouthed, her gaze desperate and heartening. "You can do this. You are strong."

Sasuke, lying beside Hikari, noticed and turned to look at the terrified, injured kunoichi. "Don't be stupid, Sakura," he spoke aloud, startling everyone. "You know how to fight. Don't lose your head."

The female Sound ninja's eyes narrowed, and suddenly, a dark laugh escaped her as she noticed the pink-haired kunoichi's eyes brighten. "Oh, I see…" she murmured wickedly, turning to her teammates. "Zaku, kill Sasuke in front of her. Dosu, you take the other one. This little weakling deserves to be taught a lesson," she insisted, tugging Sakura's head back and forth, delighting in her cries of protest.

Sakura stiffened as she watched the other two advance towards Hikari and Sasuke. '_No… I can't move…'_

Tears welled up in her emerald eyes, and she struggled to breathe. _'I am still… always getting in the way… always depending on others for protection… I can't stand it! I thought for once, I could protect everyone _else_…'_

"Well then…" Zaku chuckled, standing above Hikari and Sasuke, who glowered darkly at him. "…Let's do this."

* * *

"Hey! They're in serious trouble!" Shikamaru hissed to his teammates, who had all blanched terribly. Fear beat down on them, making their throats tighten, hearts speed up, and heads throb.

Ino felt the familiar prickle of tears at the back of her eyes.

'_No… What do I do?'_

* * *

Feeling sheer, burning resolve well up in her, Sakura drew a single kunai, holding it against her outstretched hand that her knuckles were turning bone-white.

Behind her, the female Sound nin laughed. "Are you stupid? Something like that won't be able to hurt me," she taunted.

From across the clearing, Hikari watched with blooming pride as Sakura turned her head and grinned. "What the hell are you talking about?" Sakura hissed.

And then she moved.

* * *

Throughout the clearing, all watched with wide eyes and stunned expressions.

They all watched as Sakura willingly took away from herself, the one thing that she had been the vainest over.

And Hikari's eyes lit up as she stared, and she couldn't have been more proud.

* * *

Eyes blazing with will, Sakura took hold of her forearm, and in one clean, strong move, sliced the kunai completely through her hair. The dull thud of the female nin stumbling back away from her, and the clang of her own forehead protector hitting the ground beside her barely registered as Sakura rose, tall and proud.

'_I always thought of myself as a proud ninja,' _she realized dimly. _'I always said I loved Sasuke, and I always thought I was better than Naruto. But all this time… All this time, I have only been watching their backs as they strived to protect me._

'_And Hikari… You did something that I can't even fathom. You literally changed fate for me, for us… so that things could be better. You taught me that I can take care of myself, if I try. You taught me that I can fight. That I am strong. So this time…_

'…_Get a good look at _my _back._'

"Kin! Kill her!" Zaku ordered, and the female ninja dropped the severed pink locks she held in her hand, drew her weapons, and charged.

"SAKURA! Remember what you trained on!" Hikari shouted, still on her stomach. Her gaze flicked to Sasuke, who had been focused solely on their pink-haired teammate, and she tapped the toe of her shoe to the ground. The sound drew his attention, and he glanced at Hikari to see her tilt onto her side just enough for the flash of a kunai to be seen from under her.

Realizing her plan, he smirked.

Sakura leapt high into the air, out of the way of the charging Kin, and then flipped back, landing on her feet. Focusing her chakra into her foot, she swung her leg up and swiftly delivered a brutal blow to the back of the Sound kunoichi's head. Kin went tumbling forward, landing on the ground with a pained groan.

Sakura turned away from her and charged at Zaku, who saw her coming and grinned. "Idiot… you really think you're strong enough to beat us alone?"

Sakura gritted her teeth, drew more kunai and hurled them all towards her opponent, watching as he formed a seal and held out his hands. She narrowed her eyes, waiting for the blast, and saw the exact moment her weapons were forced back by the air pressure erupting from his palms. She pumped chakra into her feet and pushed off of the ground, propelling herself high into the air as she pitched more kunai at Zaku.

Zaku fluidly dodged the weapons and looked up in time to see her forming seals for the Kawarimi Jutsu. He grinned and whipped four kunai at her, shouting, "Such a basic technique isn't going to keep you alive, little girl! Now, where did you go…"

Zaku stopped scanning the area around him as a warm drop of crimson splattered onto his cheek. His eyes widened, and he looked up in time to see Sakura launching straight at him with a kunai in hand. He brought his arms up to block her attack, but to no avail as she brutally plunged it into his forearm, blood spraying from the wound. Zaku hissed in pain and moved his free hand for an air pressure attack, but Sakura anticipated this and did the only thing she thought of.

She pitched forward, latched her mouth onto his free arm, and bit down with all her strength.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Zaku roared, landing punch after brutal punch onto her head and face in an attempt to send her flying. "LET GO!"

Sakura bit down harder to keep from crying out, feeling her face swell and her nose and cheek crack, blood pouring out of her mouth and nostrils. _'I have to hold on… I have to!'_

But with one final, devastating blow, Sakura's head snapped back and she flew across the clearing, rolling to a stop with a pained wheeze. _'No…' _she thought weakly, _'I need to protect everyone… I need…'_

"Now you're gonna get it," Zaku growled, advancing towards Sakura and clutching his injured hand. "You little bi—"

"If you plan on taking her out, you'll need to take us out too!"

Sakura froze, and with effort, she pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked up.

Through her swollen, blackened eyes, she saw the smirking face of Sasuke and the beaming face of Hikari, both freed from their restraints and with kunais in hand. And she saw the pride glimmering in both of their eyes.

"Sakura," Hikari spoke, her voice wavering and tears in her eyes. "I am _so _proud of you."

Sakura felt tears gather in her own eyes, and a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. She looked at Sasuke then, dimmed emerald meeting not-so-cold obsidian.

He nodded once in acknowledgement, and Sakura felt joy bloom in her heart. She had done well. They were proud.

Hikari and Sasuke watched as the fight went out of Sakura and she slumped back to the ground. They turned to the Sound nin who were watching them apprehensively. Hikari bared her teeth and took a fighting stance, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke do the same.

"Now then," she began, her voice belying the true wrath that she felt pumping through her blood. "It's time for us to repay you for what you did to Sakura," she murmured.

Beside her, Sasuke activated his Sharingan. "Trust us," he added, his voice cold. "You _will _pay dearly."

* * *

**A/N: Whoa. Yeah. I know. Been gone a long time. LOOOOONG time. Also, I know Lee didn't show up. Didn't need him to, so I changed things. Also, Ino and her team won't participate in the fight. Don't need them to. This is where some plot aspects begin to deviate. Boom.**

**Also, I will be editing the previous chapters in my (very little amount of) spare time. I can't believe the way I used to write, but then again, I WAS thirteen/fourteen-ish. Damn.**

**It's been a long time.**

**Have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'll answer as best I can. A lot has changed. Shit's happened. Wow.**

**Not gonna lie, though... It's good to be back.**

**Like, real good. Haha. See you soon.**


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